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AMERICAN COLLEGES 



THEIR STUDENTS AND WORK. 



BY 



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CHARLES F. THWING 



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NEW YORK 
G. P. PUTNAM'S SONS 

182 Fifth Avenue 
1878. 




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Copyright, 

G. P. PUTNAM'S SONS, 

1878. 



CONTENTS 



CHAPTER I. 

PAGK. 

Instruction . i 

CHAPTER II. 
Expenses and Pecuniary Aid 26 

CHAPTER III. 
Morals 4° 

CHAPTER IV. 

Religion 55 

CHAPTER V. 
Societies 69 

CHAPTER VI. 

Athletics and Health 81 

CHAPTER VII. 

Journalism 9 1 

CHAPTER VIII. 
Fellowships 107 

CHAPTER IX. 
Choice of a College 117 

CHAPTER X. 
Rank in college a Test of Future Distinction . 125 

Appendix 14S 

Note.— Parts of Chapters I., II., VII., VIII., and X. have appeared in " Scrib- 
ners Monthly," and of Chapters III. and IV. in " Sunday Afternoon." 



AMERICAN COLLEGES. 



CHAPTER I. 

INSTRUCTION. 



The most delightful feature of the history of 
college education in America is the constant ex- 
pansion of the curriculum. The course of study in 
the first years of Harvard, Yale, Dartmouth, and all 
the older colleges was very narrow and meager. In 
Harvard's first decade the ability " to read the originals 
of the old and new Testament into the Latin tongue, 
and to resolve them logically, withal being of godly 
life and conversation," were the only conditions de- 
manded of the student for obtaining his first degree. 
But the enlargement of the course of study has from 
the very first been constant, thorough, and at times ex- 
ceedingly rapid. Never more rapid has been this 
enlargement and improvement than within the present 
decade. The requirements of admission are increas- 



2 AMERICAN COLLEGES. 

ing in the amount and accuracy of the knowledge 
demanded. By the recent advance in science, the 
scientific studies in college are quadrupled in number 
and extent. The introduction of the elective system 
into many colleges is opening fields of knowledge to 
the college man which have been before closed, except 
to the special investigator. These characteristics, so 
admirable and assuring of the progress of the higher 
education in our country, render, however, any repre- 
sentation of the studies offered by a college inaccurate 
for any great length of time. And yet so constant 
and so regular are the relative advances made by 
the principal colleges in respect to the breadth and 
variety of their curriculum that their relative positions 
remain substantially the same for a series of several 
years. The following estimates, therefore, serve to 
represent the amount of the instruction given by the 
different colleges, not only in the present year, but 
also in the past two or three years, as well as the gen- 
eral character of college studies which will probably 
prevail for the next three or five years. 

The conditions of admission to a college determine 
to a large extent the character of the instruction of 
the Freshman year. These conditions are highest at 
Harvard, and lowest at the small colleges of the West. 
Harvard's requirements for admission are more than 
than those of the University of Michigan, Michigan's 



INSTRUCTION. 3 

more than those of Yale, with the exception of Greek, 
and Yale's slightly more than those of Amherst. 
Michigan, though admitting the graduates of the best 
High Schools of the State without examination, re- 
quires in general a more extended knowledge of 
mathematics than Harvard, but a less extended read- 
ing of Latin and Greek. The requirements of Har- 
vard over those of Yale comprise about two thousand 
lines of Latin poetry, a considerable quantity of Latin 
prose, a book of Herodotus, a slightly more advanced 
knowledge of mathematics, an elementary knowledge 
of one of the physical sciences, and of either French 
or German. But, leaving out Harvard, and possibly 
the University of Michigan, the amount of the re- 
quirements for admission to our colleges presents no 
great or essential difference. Six or eight orations of 
Cicero, six books of the ./Eneid, three or four books of 
the Anabasis, and one, two or three books of the Iliad, 
beside the Latin and the Greek grammar, represent 
the principal classical requirements, and arithmetic, 
algebra, and the simpler portions of plane geometry 
represent the mathematical. A general knowledge 
of ancient history, English grammar, and modern 
geography is also usually requisite to admission. 

But the quality of the knowledge required for en- 
tering our colleges is subject to greater variations than 
its quantity. One college demands a far more critical 



4 AMERICAN COLLEGES. 

and definite knowledge than another. The examina- 
tions atone college are written, as at Harvard; at 
another, oral, as at most colleges ; and at another, 
both written and oral, as at Yale. One college ex- 
amines the applicant for three days, as Harvard ; and 
another, for only one or two, the usual length of time. 
One college accepts the certificate of a teacher as a 
truthful indication of the student's worth, and sub- 
jects him to no examination worthy the name, while 
another pays little or no heed to it. It is usually re- 
garded that the entrance examinations at Williams, 
Dartmouth or Bowdoin are easier than those of 
Amherst, Amherst's easier than those of Yale, and 
Yale's easier than those of Harvard. Harvard's en- 
trance examinations are commonly acknowledged the 
hardest, and she rejects about fifteen per cent, of ap- 
plicants. Though more exacting than formerly, most 
eastern colleges reject less than ten per cent. 

In the following comparisons of courses of in- 
struction, Harvard and Yale are selected as types of 
the largest eastern colleges, Amherst as the type of 
eastern colleges of the average size, as Brown, Dart- 
mouth, Princeton, and Middlebury as the type of small 
colleges, as Bates and Colby. The University of 
Michigan, though its course of study is far more flex- 
ible than is usual with most colleges, represents the 
large colleges of the West, Oberlin those of the aver- 



INSTRUCTION. 5 

age size, and Beloit the better class of its small 
colleges, such as Marietta, Olivet. Into one or an- 
other of these six classes nearly all our three hun- 
dred colleges easily fall. Although no one of the col- 
leges named precisely represents all other colleges 
of its class, each may serve as a general type of them. 
Amherst may represent Dartmouth and Williams, 
though the course of instruction at Amherst is some- 
what different from the course of instruction at either 
of the sister institutions. 

The classics still continue to form a large part of 
the course of instruction of most colleges. Though 
the required study of Latin and Greek ends at Har- 
vard with the Freshman year, yet the elective courses 
are more than sufficient to occupy the students' at- 
tention for the three remaining years. These courses 
are twenty-three in number, and provide forty-six reci- 
tations a week. Besides the Greek authors usually 
read, Harvard offers a course in ecclesiastical and in 
philosophical Greek, and in Latin, a most unique 
course in " Latin inscriptions, orthography and pro- 
nunciation." An opportunity is also offered for the 
study of Hebrew and Sanskrit. At Yale, about three- 
fifths of the work of the first two years is devoted to 
the classics, and the authors are Herodotus, ^Eschy- 
lus, Cicero, Tacitus, and others usually read in college. 
The required study of Latin and Greek ceases with 



6 AMERICAN COLLEGES. 

the Sophomore year, but if he choose, the student can 
still give about one-fourth of the work of the remain- 
der of his course to them. In his Senior year he also 
lias the opportunity of studying Sanskrit At Am- 
herst, about two-thirds of the Freshman and one-third 
of the Sophomore and Junior years are spent upon 
Latin and Greek. The hardest Greek read is the 
" Philippics/' and the hardest Latin, Quintilian and 
Tacitus. At Middlebury, the type of the small East- 
ern college, Latin grammar, Livy and the Odyssey 
come in the Freshman year, and the most difficult 
Greek in the course is probably the " Medea' 1 of 
Euripides. The instruction in classics ends with the 
first term of the Junior year. At Michigan, the class- 
ical instruction is not dissimilar in amount and quality 
to that of Amherst, but at Oberlin and Beloit easier 
and fewer authors are read. 

The mathematical instruction in our colleges is 
less in amount and covers a shorter space of time 
than the classical. It begins in the Freshman year 
usually with either solid geometry or the more ad- 
vanced part of plane, and, passing through trigon- 
ometry and analytical geometry, ends with mechanics 
or the calculus. At Harvard, the Freshman recite 
between three and four hours a week in solid and 
analytical geometry, plane trigonometry, and advanced 
algebra. Though no mathematics are prescribed alter 



INSTRUCTION. 7 

the first year, ten elective courses offer ample oppor- 
tunity to the student who wishes to continue the 
study. Two courses in quaternions are provided, and, 
so far as I know, Harvard is the only American col- 
lege at which this new branch of mathematics can be 
studied. At Yale, about two-fifths of the Freshman 
and Sophomore years are spent upon mathematics, 
the study beginning with advanced algebra and end- 
ing with conic sections and mechanics. During his 
last two years, if he wish, the student may study cal- 
culus and analytical mechanics to the extent of four 
recitations a week, and, during a part of his Senior 
year, he may devote an equal portion of each week to 
astronomy. The student at Amherst gives about 
one-third of his Freshman, and about one-fifth of his 
Sophomore year to the study of mathematics. Be- 
ginning with the more advanced plane geometry, he 
may study algebra, trigonometry, conic sections, and, 
if he wish, calculus. At Middlcbury, the mathemat- 
ical instruction begins with algebra in the Freshman 
year, and ends, at the close of the second year, with 
calculus. About one-third of the first two years is 
devoted to the study. At the University of Michigan 
also, mathematical studies occupy the student's atten- 
tion for about one-third of the time of his first two 
years. But these studies in geometry, trigonometry 
and calculus are of a more advanced character than 



8 AMERICAN COLLEGES. 

those at Middlcbury or Amherst, and more advanced 
than the prescribed mathematical studies at Harvard. 
Oberlin requires her students to spend about one- 
fourth of their Freshman year upon mathematics, and 
permits them to elect calculus as one of the three 
studies of the first term of the Sophomore year. De- 
scriptive geometry can also be studied for a single 
term in the Junior year. Beloit pays as much atten- 
tion to the study of mathematics as Oberlin, but her 
students hardly succeed in reaching as advanced a 
stage of knowledge. 

The facilities for learning the modern languages 
in our colleges have vastly improved within a few 
years. Twenty years ago it was difficult to find a 
graduate who could read French with ease, or German 
at all. But now no one pretends to call himself 
thoroughly educated, unless he reads, writes, and 
speaks these languages with fluency. The facilities 
for studying Spanish and Italian are still exceedingly 
meager in most colleges. At Harvard, considerable 
attention is paid to these as well as to French and 
German. An elementary knowledge of either French 
or German is a condition of admission to the college ; 
and the study of one of these languages composes 
about one-fifth of the work of the Freshman year. 
Besides the prescribed course, eight elective courses 
are offered in German, affording nineteen hours of 



INSTRUCTION. g 

recitation a week ; and in French, five elective courses, 
with fifteen hours of recitation. There are three 
elective courses in Spanish, and three also in Italian. 
Cervantes, Calderon, Tasso, Dante, and Petrarch are 
the chief authors read. A course in the comparative 
philology of the romance languages is also offered. 
Two courses in Anglo-Saxon and early English are 
provided for the student interested in the study of his 
vernacular ; and in English literature also, two courses 
are offered, comprising Chaucer, Shakspere, Bacon, 
Milton, and Dryden. Though at Yale, a knowledge of 
French is not required for admission, the language 
may be elected for four recitations a week during the 
Junior and Senior years ; students are not, however, 
allowed to elect it unless already having a knowledge 
of the elements of the language. German is a pre- 
scribed study of the Junior year for three recitations 
a week, and may be elected in the Senior year for four 
recitations. About one-fifth of the work of the first 
term of the Junior year is devoted to the study of 
Shakspere and Craik's history of our literature. Anglo- 
Saxon may be elected in the second term of the Junior 
year for four hours a week ; and " linguistics " offers an 
entertaining course of study for a short time in the 
Senior year. The student of the modern lan- 
guages at Amherst, though having an elementary 
knowledge of the French grammar on admission, re- 



IO AMERICAN COLLEGES. 

news his study of the language with his second year, 
and may continue it for three successive terms with 
about four recitations a week. German he is 
required to study for a single term, with five ex- 
ercises a week, and he may also elect it for two 
terms. Italian and Spanish he can study dur- 
ing his Junior year, but to them he usually gives 
comparatively little attention. English literature he 
also studies for a single term of the Senior year, with 
three recitations a week. Middlebury is accustomed 
to provide no instruction in French for her students, 
though she is now preparing to offer a course of 
study in it. Most colleges, however, provide at least 
a small amount of instruction in the language. Ger- 
man she crowds into four recitations a week of a 
single term of the Junior year. English (Trench's 
" Study of Words " and " English, Past and Present ") 
forms part of the instruction of one term of the 
Sophomore year ; and English literature (Taine) is 
studied somewhat in the first term of the Senior year. 
But most colleges offer very meager opportunities for 
the study of the origin and growth of either our lan- 
guage or our literature. At the University of Mich- 
igan, the study of French begins with the Junior year, 
and may be continued during the remaining year of 
the course. Italian and Spanish are among the elec- 
tive studies of the last half of the Senior year. To 



INSTRUCTION. 1 1 

both the English language and literature considerable 
attention is given. At Oberlin, the study of German 
begins in the first term of the Sophomore year, and it 
may form about one-third of the student's work for 
the remainder of the year. The study of French is 
limited to a single term ; and, as in most colleges, the 
student has no opportunity of learning either Spanish 
or Italian. English literature may be studied in the 
Senior year. At Beloit, as at Middlebury, French is 
not set down in the curriculum ; and German is 
studied for only two of the twelve terms. To English 
literature, however, the student is able to devote con- 
siderable attention. 

The instruction in the various departments of 
science in our colleges has hardly kept abreast with 
the discoveries of the last ten years. A natural con- 
servatism and the expense of procuring scientific ap- 
paratus tend to make the college instruction in science 
several years behind the promulgation of scientific 
truths. Harvard, however, fosters in many ways the 
scientific studies of her students. Besides a prescribed 
course of two recitations a week in physics, in the 
Freshman year, she offers six elective courses, with 
sixteen exercises a week. In chemistry, she provides, 
in addition to a prescribed course of lectures in the 
Freshman year, seven elective courses, extending 
through the three remaining years. In natural history 



12 AMERICAN COLLEGES. 

ten courses are offered, with twenty-seven exercises a 
week. At Yale, the student during his Junior year 
has three recitations a week in physics ; and in the 
first term of the year an equal number in chemistry. 
In the second and longer term, physiology (Huxley) 
and astronomy are studied. A series of lectures is 
delivered iri the Senior year upon evolution and cos- 
mogony ; and geology is a required study of the first 
term of the year. Elective courses in the various de- 
partments of natural science and physics are also 
offered, with about twelve exercises a week during 
the Senior year. Zoology may also be studied for a 
short time in the Junior year. The instruction in 
science at Amherst is of a very comprehensive char- 
acter. It begins in the middle of the second year 
with chemistry, and, after passing through mineral- 
ogy, astronomy, botany, paleontology, it ends at the 
close of the Senior year with comparative zoology and 
geology. About two-thirds of the work of the Junior 
year is of a scientific nature. Middlebury provides 
instruction in the Junior year in natural philosophy 
and chemistry for about five hours a week ; and in 
the first term of the Senior in zoology (Tenney), with 
two recitations a week, and in the second and third 
terms in geology (Dana), with four recitations. At 
the University of Michigan about one-fourth of the 
work of the Junior year is devoted to physics and 



INSTRUCTION. 1 3 

astronomy. Several elective courses in science are 
offered in the Senior year, providing about twenty- 
five hours of recitation each week. The course of 
study in astronomy is more extended than that offered 
by any other of our colleges. The student at Oberlin 
begins his scientific studies with natural philosophy 
(Olmsted) and botany (Gray) in the last term of 
his Sophomore year. About one-third of the work of 
the five succeeding terms he may devote, if he wish, 
to astronomy, chemistry, zoology and geology. The 
student at Beloit has advantages similar to those of 
his brother at Oberlin ; he has, however, little or no 
instruction offered him in zoology. In most colleges, 
the instruction and lectures in science are supple- 
mented by the work of the student in the laboratory. 
Chemical laboratories are established in many colleges, 
but physical laboratories in but few. 

The advantages our colleges afford their students for 
the study of philosophy are as various ' as those they 
offer for the study of science. At Harvard the prescribed 
course in philosophy (Jevon's Logic, Locke's " Human 
Understanding ") occupies about one-seventh of the 
work of the Junior year. But the elective courses are 
sufficient to occupy all, and more than all, of the 
Senior year. Beginning with Descartes, a continuous 
study is made of his successors, Malebranche, Spin- 
oza, Leibnitz, and of Kant, and the post-Kantians. 



I4 AMERICAN COLLEGES. 

The course in Schopenhauer and Hartmann is the 
only course in the German philosophy of the present 
day given, so far as I can discover, in any American 
college. The instruction in philosophy is rather criti- 
cal than dogmatic ; its purpose is to explain the dif- 
ferent systems rather than to teach a system. Though 
more attention is paid to intellectual than to moral 
philosophy, yet the various ethical theories can be 
studied in the Senior year, with three recitations a 
week. In political economy, two elective courses are 
offered, comprising Mill, Cairnes and Carey. 

At Yale, as at most colleges, the philosophical 
studies are relegated to the Senior year. Elementary 
logic is studied for several weeks in the Junior year ; 
and about one-third of the work of the Senior year is 
of a philosophical character. Instruction is given by 
means both of text-books (Porter, Schwegler's History) 
and of numerous lectures. Political science is a re- 
quired study of the Senior year, with Fawcett as the 
principal text-book. An elective course is also offer- 
ed during the second term, with two exercises a week. 
At Amherst also about one-third of the work of the 
Senior year is devoted to philosophy. Hickok and 
Schwegler are the leading authors studied. Political 
economy is also taught, but to a somewhat less extent 
than in either Yale or Harvard. At Middlebury, 
after the elementary logic of the Junior year, Paley's 



INSTRUCTION. 1 5 

" Natural Theology " is studied, with four recitations 
a week for a single term ; and, in the winter one reci- 
tation a day is devoted to Butler's " Analogy." In 
the spring term similar attention is paid to the history 
of philosophy. Political economy is also studied for 
a single term, with four recitations a week. At Mich- 
igan, logic and psychology are required studies of the 
first half of the Senior year ; and moral philosophy 
and the history of philosophy are elective studies of 
the second term. They can, therefore, be made to 
occupy about one-fifth of the student's time. Polit- 
ical economy is taught for about five hours a week 
during one-half of a single term. The student at 
Oberlin, like the student at Yale and Amherst, may 
devote about one-third of his Senior year to philo- 
sophical studies — Butler, Porter, Fairchild represent- 
ing the principal text-books in mental and moral 
philosophy, and J. S. Mill in political economy. At 
Beloit, mental philosophy is studied for a brief period 
in the Junior year ; and about one-third of the Senior 
is devoted to logic, moral philosophy and the evidences 
of Christianity. In most colleges, especially in those 
under the strongest religious influences, an elemen- 
tary study is made of these evidences. 

In but few colleges does history receive that at- 
tention which it is almost universally admitted to de- 
serve. In most cases the only instruction offered in 



IS AMERICAN COLLEGES. 

it consists of a course of lectures, necessarily of a 
very general character, which, putting the student in 
possession of mere skeletons of theories and of events, 
fail both to inspire him with love for the study, and 
to prompt to independent reading and thinking. Har- 
vard offers very fair advantages for historical study. 
The prescribed course comprises Freeman's "Out- 
lines," the Constitution of the United States, and a 
study of the English system of government ; ten 
elective courses are offered, with twenty-six hours of 
recitation a week. Besides general courses in Euro- 
pean history, a course in mediaeval institutions is of- 
fered, which, in its scope and aim, is unique in college 
instruction. An extended course of study of Ameri- 
can history is provided; and a single course in 
diplomatic history is also offered. At Yale the course 
in history comprises Hallam's " Constitutional His- 
tory," Woolsey's "International Law," and lectures 
during one term of the Senior year. But in the first 
term, Hallam's " Middle Ages " may be taken as an 
optional study for four hours a week, and in the 
second term, Bancroft's " History," with two exercises 
each week. At Amherst about one-third of the work 
of two terms of the Senior year is devoted to history 
and political science. Political science is taught in 
connection with the historical rather than the philo- 
sophical department. The instruction in history con- 



INSTRUCTION. jy 

sists, in the main, of an extended course of lectures 
upon the general history of Europe. At Middlebury 
the instruction in history is represented by Guizot's 
" History of Civilization," in which the student recites 
four hours a week for a single term. The same 
amount of time is devoted to international law, with 
Dr. Woolsey's "Manual" as a text-book. The 
University of Michigan, during the Freshman and 
Sophomore years, devotes considerable attention to 
Roman and Grecian history. Guizot's " History of 
Civilization" is studied for a brief period of the 
Junior year. During the second term of the Sopho- 
more year also, the study of the period from the re- 
vival of learning to the close of the Thirty Years' 
War may form about one-third of the student's work. 
In the Senior year, European and American history 
may be studied, with five hours of recitation a week. 
At Oberlin, the instruction given in history consists 
chiefly of a course of lectures delivered in the second 
term of the Senior year. At Beloit, ancient his- 
tory is studied at the beginning of the first and 
second years ; and in the first term in the Junior 
year, Guizot's work and the mediaeval history of 
France form a part of the course. 

It is only within a few years that our colleges have 
given any instruction in the fine arts. Four years 
ago a professorship of the history of art was estab- 



1 8 AMERICAN COLLEGES. 

lished at Harvard, and the department is now, by 
means of the three elective courses, one of the most 
important and popular. Five elective courses in 
music are also provided, with thirteen recitations and 
lectures a week. Yale has a " school of the fine arts," 
whose aim is to provide thorough technical instruction 
in the arts of painting, sculpture and architecture ; to 
furnish an acquaintance with all branches of learning 
relating to the history, theory and practice of art. The 
course covers three years, and, though it is distinct 
from the regular college course, is open to all who 
wish to avail themselves of its advantages. Vassar, 
in consequence, perhaps, of being a college for women, 
devotes considerable attention to the fine arts. Be- 
sides instruction in vocal and instrumental music, op- 
portunities are offered for " drawing, painting, and 
modelling in clay and wax." Most of these courses, 
however, do not belong to the regular curriculum, and 
considered as a body, our colleges offer only the most 
meager instruction in the fine arts. 

Considerable attention is now given to rhetoric, 
writing and speaking, in all the colleges. At Har- 
vard, instruction is given in rhetoric for two hours a 
week during half of the Sophomore year,with Professor 
A. S. Hill's treatise as the principal text-book. Six 
themes or compositions are written in the Sophomore 
year, ten in the Junior, and four in the Senior. In 



INSTRUCTION. 1 9 

about twelve of these twenty essays the style of writ- 
ing is chiefly considered, and in eight the thought. 
An advanced elective course also in rhetoric and 
composition has recently been established. In elocu- 
tion the professor gives instruction to those wishing 
it, and about one-third of the Senior class, besides a 
few other students, avail themselves of the privilege. 
At Yale, the study of rhetoric begins about the mid- 
dle of the Freshman, and ends only with the Senior 
year. In the first term of the Sophomore year, an 
exercise in composition is held once in three weeks ; 
and in the Junior year " forensic disputations " occur 
twice a term. In his Senior year each student writes 
four compositions. During a part of the Sophomore 
year, exercises in declamation also are held. At Am- 
herst, throughout the four years, exercises in either 
composition or declamation, or both, are held every 
week ; and there is probably no college at which 
greater attention is paid to these departments of edu- 
cation. Extemporaneous speaking also is cultivated 
by constant exercises. At Middlebury, weekly ex- 
ercises in composition and rhetoric are held. At 
Michigan, the rhetorical and English exercises occur 
in each week of the Freshman year ; during the 
Sophomore year, each student is required to write five 
essays ; and in his Junior year, if he elects the sub- 
ject, to write and deliver several "speeches." At 



20 AMERICAN COLLEGES. 

Oberlin, every student is usually required to write 
six essays, and take part in six debates in each of the 
four years of his course, and a brief study of rhetoric 
is also made. At Beloit, weekly rhetorical exercises 
are held in which the student " is called occasionally 
to bear a part." But, beside, the instruction given by 
the colleges, the societies of the students present other 
opportunities for both writing and speaking. These 
societies are more popular at Yale and Amherst than 
at Harvard ; and, in general, they flourish better in 
Western than in Eastern colleges. 

Though a few elective or " exchange " courses of 
instruction have been for years offered by most col- 
leges, it was not till the accession of the present pres- 
ident of Harvard that the system of elective studies 
was introduced. Though introduced at Harvard in 
the face of much opposition, the system has, by its 
intellectual and moral advantages, converted opposi- 
tion into staunch support. It constantly grows in 
popularity with both professors and students, and 
each year the number of elective courses is increased 
and their scope enlarged. At this time (1877-1878), 
one hundred and ten elective courses are offered, pro- 
viding two hundred and seventy-eight recitations a 
week. Students are not permitted, however, to avail 
themselves of the privileges of the system till the 
Sophomore year. All the studies of the Freshman 



INSTRUCTION. 21 

year are prescribed, and about one-third of those of 
the Sophomore and Junior years. With the excep- 
tion of four essays, the studies of the Senior year are 
elective. The liberty of choice is shown by the fact 
that one can, during his course, take, as regular studies 
for a degree, only thirty-four of the two hundred and 
seventy-eight hours of electives. With the academic 
year of 1876-77, Yale introduced a system of optional 
studies. Each Junior and Senior " is required to 
have four exercises a week in an. optional study ; " 
that is, about one-third or one-fourth of the work 
of these two years is elective. Regarding a study 
having four exercises a week for a year as a " course," 
there are offered two courses each in Greek, Latin, 
French and mathematics, one course in German, and 
what may be regarded as one course, though more 
than equivalent to four weekly exercises, in Anglo- 
Saxon and English literature. European history, 
astronomy, meteorology, mineralogy and mathemat- 
ical crystallography, geology and paleontology are 
studied for a single term with four exercises a week 
in each, and American history, political economy and 
physics for a similar period with two exercises. 
Zoology, linguistics and botany each occupies half a 
term. Sanskrit may be studied for one year, with two 
double exercises each week. Amherst has a few 
elective courses, chiefly in science and modern Ian- 



22 AMERICAN COLLEGES. 

guages. They are opened to the student in the mid- 
dle of the second year, and during the remainder of 
his course he can devote about one-third of his time 
to them. But Middlebury, the type of small eastern 
colleges, is accustomed to offer no elective studies to 
her students. In consequence of the recent reorgani- 
zation of the departments of instruction of the Univer- 
sity of Michigan, one-half of its studies for the 
Bachelors degree have become elective. About one 
hundred and twenty courses are offered, in a large 
number of which either six or four recitations are 
held each week for a half year. At Oberlin, during 
the principal part of the last three years, four studies 
are assigned to each term, from which the student is 
required to choose three. But Beloit, the type of 
small western colleges, usually offers no elective 
courses, and this is the case with most colleges, both 
East and West. The University of Virginia, how- 
ever, offers, and has offered for years, with its various 
" schools," a system of study which is entirely 
elective. 

The following table shows the number of hours of 
instruction a week which twenty of our representative 
colleges are accustomed to give in the principal sub- 
jects of study. At Amherst, for example, there are 
on an average twenty-one and two-thirds recitations 
in classics made by all the different classes each week. 



INSTRUCTION. 23 

Both prescribed and elective studies are included in 
the estimate. 

Classics, 

Ancient MatJie- Mod- Sci- Philos- His- Fine 

Lang's, mattes. Lang. ence. ophy. tory. Arts. 

Amherst z\% 10 # 9 17% 6% 5 iy 3 

Boston 25 6 16 10 12 81 

Bowdoin 21 j£ 7^ 11 12^ 8% 6 o 

California 26 6 13 14 9 00 

Cornell 32 12 10 10 10 10 o 

Dartmouth 20 10 4 12 10 20 

Hamilton 22 11 2% 10 10 4% o 

Harvard 61 29 74 68 23 28 21 

Michigan 28 12 15 32 9 80 

Middlebury 18 10 4 13 11 41 

New York 24 12 2 18 8 60 

Northwestern 22 7 15 13^ 7 4% o 

Oberlin 24 12 10 13^ 12 1 1 

Princeton 30 9 7 15 10 20 

Trinity 23 6% 9 12^ 940 

Vassar 27% 8>£ 21 31^ 10 2 17^ 

Vermont 21 12 12 15 9 6 % 

Virginia 15 19 13 22 4 40 

Wesleyan 26 10 11 27 20 5 o 

Yale 38 17 20 25 14 80 

It is impossible to obtain absolute accuracy in 
estimates essentially so indefinite, since courses of 
instruction vary each year, and are often different 
from the published list of studies. Yet, for purposes 
of comparison, these figures may be regarded as suf- 
ficiently accurate. 



24 AMERICAN COLLEGES. 

But it is not the mere amount of the instruction 
with which a college provides its students that makes 
it either great or good. The quality, the tone of that 
instruction is of equal, if not greater, importance. Its 
thoroughness and its accuracy, the discrimination, 
carefulness and patience in thinking which it demands 
and cultivates, determines, to a large extent, whether 
a college shall be a first-rate or only an indifferent 
instrument in the formation of scholarship and men- 
tal discipline. But upon this critical question opinion 
varies with all the degrees of the graduate's knowledge 
of and fondness for his alma mater ; and no precise 
estimates can be obtained. Yet it is commonly ac- 
knowledged that certain characteristics are specially 
fostered by the instruction given in the different col- 
leges. The typical Yale graduate is ready and 
thorough ; the Harvard, exact and full ; the Amherst, 
patient and earnest ; the Williams, well-rounded and 
well-balanced ; the Dartmouth, independent ; the 
Middlebury, careful and discriminating ; and the Mich- 
igan, direct and clear. Positiveness of conviction and 
readiness in reaching conclusions are in general fos- 
tered more by the best western, and the critical habit 
of mind more by the eastern, colleges. Yet these 
characteristics are very general, and cannot be pressed 
with close exactness. 

It is also usually recognized that each college has 



INSTRUCTION. 2 $ 

one or more departments in which its instruction ex- 
cels. At Yale, students and graduates regard the in- 
struction in international law and history, Greek, 
political economy, and in several branches of science as 
of eminent excellence. At Amherst, that given in 
philosophy and advanced Greek; at Williams and 
Oberlin, that in philosophy ; at Michigan University, 
that in mathematics, English literature, and history ; 
and at Harvard, that provided in philosophy, science, 
Greek, French, and the Fine Arts is generally ac- 
knowledged to be of unusual worth. But the value 
of a department of study to the student depends to a 
great degree upon his aptitude for it ; and, therefore, 
most diverse judgments may be formed regarding its 
excellence. This value is often precisely the op- 
posite of the estimate of the general public respecting 
it. For it is as original thinkers and authors that the 
majority of college professors attain a reputation ; 
but the qualities that fit one for pursuing original in- 
vestigations, or for elaborating a philosophical system, 
may unfit him for the patient and painstaking work 
of the teacher's desk. It is, therefore, oftentimes true 
that a great scholar, of national reputation, is only an 
indifferent teacher. 



2 6 AMERICAN COLLEGES. 



CHAPTER II. 

EXPENSES AND PECUNIARY AID. 

• The expenses of college men of similar tastes and 
equal wealth are often of the most diverse amounts. 
The annual expenditure of two students, occupying 
the same room, sitting at the same club table, and 
economizing with great care, may differ by $50 or 
$100; and the expenditure of two wealthy students, 
of like tastes and surroundings, usually varies by any 
amount from $200 to $800. It is, therefore, in the 
nature of the case, impossible for one writer's esti- 
mates of the expenses of the students in the different 
colleges, precisely to correspond with the estimates of 
other writers. But the labor and care bestowed upon 
the following averages allow the assurance that they 
are as accurate as their essentially indefinite nature 
permits. 

The extremes of the total annual expenses of 



EXPENSES AND PECUNIARY AID. 2 J 

students at Harvard, which may be considered the 
representative of city colleges, — like Yale, and the 
colleges in the city of New York, — are about $450 
and $3,000. But the poor, economical student, who 
stints himself to $450, lives in narrow quarters and 
eats the cheapest food ; and the rich student, spending 
$3,000, lives as luxuriously as the wealthiest New 
York or Boston families. But these amounts are 
extremes; more poor students spend $550 or $600 
than $450; the expenses of the majority of wealthy 
students do not exceed $2,500, and there are only 
half a dozen among the eight hundred who succeed in 
consuming $3,000. The poor student pays for tuition 
$150, as does the rich; for room-rent, with chum, 
$22 ; for board at the Memorial Hall Club, in which 
are many of the rich, as well as all of the poor stu- 
dents, $152 ($4 for 38 weeks). The cost of his coal 
and gas is about $30, and of his text-books not less 
than $20. These five items amount to $374, without 
including either clothes, washing, or travelling ex- 
penses. He provides furniture for his room, which 
(a chum bearing half the expense) costs about $50 ; 
but a room furnished at the beginning of the Fresh- 
man year requires no special refurnishing afterward. 
The total annual expenses, therefore, of a Harvard 
student, of the most rigorous economy, cannot be less 
than $425, and probably will amount to $500. 



2 8 AMERICAN COLLEGES. 

The expenses of a wealthy Harvard student may be 
thus estimated: For tuition, $150; for room-rent, 
which is $160 higher than at any other college, $300, — 
but a room renting for this sum is one of the best of col- 
lege rooms in America ; for board, at $8 a week, $304 ; 
for attending theaters, concerts, suppers, $500, — the 
largest item in the expenses of many a Harvard man ; 
for society fees and subscriptions, $400 (the initiation 
fee to one club, the Porcellian, is $500) ; for private ser- 
vant, — a luxury which about half the students enjoy, 
— $30; for horses, $150; for coal and gas, $75; and 
for books, $100. This total amount of #2,000 in- 
cludes, however, the cost of neither clothes, washing, 
travelling expenses, nor furniture. The cost of fur- 
nishing a college room elegantly is not less than #500, 
and may amount to $1,000. The annual expenses, 
therefore, of the average wealthy student at Harvard 
amount to $2,500. A few wealthy students spend 
more, many less ; the limit on the one side being 
$2,500 or $3,000, and on the other $1,000 or $1,500. 

What is true of expenses at Harvard applies 
mutatis mutandis, and without the mutanda being 
considerable, to Yale and other large city colleges. 
The most of the necessary expenses, however, are less 
at Yale than at Harvard. The extremes of room-rent 
are $25 and $140, and tuition is $140. The poor 
student can, therefore, pass a year at Yale for from 



EXPENSES AND PECUNIARY AW. 29 

$50 to $100 less than at Harvard. To the wealthy 
student, moreover, New Haven does not present as 
favorable opportunities for spending money in attend- 
ing places of amusement as Boston ; but the societies 
at Yale are more expensive than the Harvard societies. 
To the wealthy student, therefore, and the student of 
average means, the expenses of four years at Yale 
do not differ essentially from the expenses of four 
years at Harvard. 

But if these large colleges have been charged, as 
they have been, with being the " colleges of rich men's 
sons," their aid given to indigent students is very 
generous. Yale has some twenty-eight scholarships, 
yielding annually sums varying from $46 to $120, with 
an average of $60. The basis of their bestowal is — 
first, the poverty, and, secondly, the scholarship of the 
recipient. She also distributes, as do many colleges, 
a considerable amount among her students who intend 
to be ministers. She annually devotes not less than 
$8,000 to the aid of this class. Harvard has one 
hundred and twelve scholarships, whose annual in- 
comes vary from $40 to $350 ; their total annual in- 
come is about $26,000, and, therefore, the average in- 
come of each scholarship does not vary far from 
$235. The basis of their assignment is — first, schol- 
arship, and, secondly, character and poverty. A rich 
student, whose rank is high, does not care to receive 



30 



AMERICAN COLLEGES. 



one ; and a poor student, whose rank is low, cannot 
Twenty-eight scholarships are thus annually distrib- 
uted among the high-ranking, indigent students of 
each class. The highest scholars receive the largest 
scholarships, and the smallest scholarship is usually 
received by one who holds the fiftieth place in a class 
of a hundred and fifty. Besides scholarships, she 
annually either gives or lends to indigent students 
$3,500. She is also so strongly buttressed by her 
Thayers, Lowells, and other wealthy friends, that she 
ventures to say in her annual catalogue that " good 
scholars of high character, but slender means, are 
seldom or never obliged to leave college for want of 
money." 

It is a well-known fact that the expenses of students 
at country colleges are lighter than at city colleges. 
The reasons of the fact are the familiar reasons that 
indicate that a family can live more cheaply in the 
country than in the city. Not only are the neces- 
saries of board, rent, clothing, fuel, and tuition cheaper, 
but also the temptations to spend money in concerts, 
theatres, suppers, and in every species of pleasant ex- 
travagance, are fewer. These et cetera, which form 
so large an item in the annual budget of a Harvard or 
Yale man, are trifles in the cash-account of an Am- 
herst or Dartmouth student. A poor student at Am- 
herst — which may be regarded as the type of large 



EXPENSES AND PECUNIARY AID. 



31 



country, as Harvard is of large city, colleges — spends 
annually about $350, and the rich student about 
$ 1 ,000. Tuition is the same for both, — $ 1 00 ; but the 
poor student probably has a room whose rent, with a 
chum, is only $18 ; and the rich student, one whose 
rent, without a chum, is J 125. The poor student 
boards in a club at $3 a week ; and the rich, in a fam- 
ily at $6. The former limits his expenses for books 
to the cost of his necessary text-books, — $15; the 
latter, if he be a man of taste, expends in this way 
#100. $18 buys the coal and lights of the one, $30 
those of the other. The one expends in society taxes 
and subscriptions $15 ; the other, ten times that sum. 
The poor student probably spends nothing for either 
horses, concerts, theatres or suppers ; the rich, $150. 
The annual expenses, therefore, of a student of the 
most rigorous economy at Amherst, or at colleges of 
the same character, are about $350, being from $50 
to $100 less than at Yale, and from $100 to $150 less 
than at Harvard ; and the expenses of a rich Amherst 
student, varying from $800 to $1000 or $1 100, are 
from $500 to $2,000 less than those of a wealthy Yale 
or Harvard man. The man of average means — the 
most frequent type of the college student — spends 
$500 at Amherst, and at Yale or Harvard, $800. 

If the expenses of their students are less, so also 
the pecuniary aid given by Amherst and like colleges 



32 AMERICAN COLLEGES. 

is, in all cases, less than that given by Harvard, and, 
in many cases, less than that given by Yale. Am- 
herst and Dartmouth are exceptionally generous. 
The former has a hundred scholarships, with an aver- 
age annual income of $86 ; and the latter, one hun- 
dred and twenty-four of $yo each. Amherst, like 
Yale, distributes the income of $75,000 among students 
who are candidates for the ministry. 

In all colleges, besides the aid derived from 
scholarships and beneficiary funds, students assist 
themselves by manual labor, teaching, and tutoring. 
Manual labor offers the inducement of exercise as well 
as of money, and at Cornell and western colleges, 
considerable of it is done. Teaching was more in 
vogue seventy-five years ago than at present. A few 
Bowdoin and Dartmouth students still spend their 
winters in those " ruby founts of knowledge," — coun- 
try school-houses, — but the practice is discouraged by 
all college faculties. In Yale, and especially in Har- 
vard, a good deal of tutoring, or coaching, is done ; 
and, at $2 an hour, it is the most remunerative kind of 
work. A recent graduate of Harvard carried himself 
and his brother through college with money earned 
in this way. 

Many interesting and striking comparisons between 
the character of an education obtained at our different 
colleges, and its cost, are suggested by the annexed 



EXPENSES AND PECUNIAR Y AID. 33 

tables. It is as true in regard to education as in re- 
gard to commodities, that what costs most is best. 
Expenses at Yale and Harvard, which are by many con 
sidered the best, as they are the largest of our colleges, 
are by far the highest. The large country colleges 
in the east, as Princeton, Dartmouth, Amherst, follow 
Harvard and Yale in respect to expenses ; and are, in 
turn, followed by small country colleges, as Hamilton. 
Expenses at large western colleges, as Michigan and 
North-western Universities, are about the same as at 
small country colleges in the east. Small western 
colleges, represented by Beloit and Illinois, graduate 
their students at the least expense. The Yale or 
Harvard student of average means, spends nearly twice 
what the economical student of the college spends, 
and one-half or one-third of what the wealthy student 
spends. The expenses of the average Amherst or 
Dartmouth man are nearly double those of his poor, 
and one-half those of his rich, brother ; and the same 
proportional expenditure obtains at Michigan and 
North-western Universities. The same ratio holds 
good at small western colleges also. The economical 
student is graduated at Beloit, for $800; at Dart- 
mouth, for #1,200 ; at Harvard, for #1,800 ; the student 
of average means for, respectively, #1,200, #2,000, and 
and #3,200 ; the wealthy student for #2,000, #3,600, 
and any amount from #6,000 to #12,000. The ex- 

-\ 



34 AMERICAN COLLEGES. 

penses of the poor student at Harvard are almost 
equal to those of the rich student at Beloit, or to those 
of the average student at Dartmouth ; and the ex- 
penses of the average Harvard student are as high as 
those of the rich Dartmouth student. What one 
wealthy man at Yale or Harvard spends would educate 
from ten to twenty poor men at Beloit or Illinois, or 
from six to twelve poor men at Dartmouth. 

The pecuniary aid given by colleges varies in 
amount as much as the expenses. As a rule, subject, 
however, to variations, those colleges whose students 
spend the most, offer the most aid, as Harvard ; and 
those whose students spend the least, offer the least 
aid, as most western colleges. The basis of the be- 
stowal of aid is generally threefold, — scholarship, need, 
and character. Many colleges, however, offer special 
pecuniary privileges to students who intend to be 
ministers. 

Expenses at Vassar, the only college exclusively for 
women given in the following table, are about the same 
as expenses at large country colleges in the east. The 
economical Vassar woman spends, however, more than 
her economical brother at Cornell or Union ; but, if 
she is wealthy or of average means, her expenses are 
probably less than those of her brother of the same 
pecuniary ability. The distinctions of wealth are not 
so marked at Vassar as at most colleges for men, and 



EXPEA T SES AND PECUNIARY AID. 



35 



there are fewer temptations for spending money. The 
students at Wellesley and at Smith college are, as 
a class, less wealthy than the Vassar students, and 
their expenses are correspondingly lighter ; at the 
former institution the annual charge for room, board, 
and tuition is only $250, and at the latter $350. 

It may be added that expenses at Oxford and Cam- 
bridge do not essentially differ from expenses at Har- 
vard and Yale. An Oxford student who spends $750 
is called economical, and one who spends double this 
sum is not charged with extravagance. But all 
" reading " (hard-working) men at these English uni- 
versities can obtain more aid than students at Amer- 
ican colleges. Scholarships average from $200 to 
$500, and fellowships from $1,000 to $2,000. In the 
German universities, nearly every item of expense is 
cheaper than in either the best American colleges or 
the English universities. The aid given to indigent 
students is also less ; the principal part of which is 
the privilege to attend the lectures on credit, payment 
being postponed till the beneficiary has entered either 
the public service, or one of the learned professions. 

The first set of columns in the following table gives 
the extreme and the average price of the annual rent 
of rooms in twenty-five American colleges ; the 
second, the extreme and the average price of board ; 
the third, the tuition ; and the fourth gives the ex- 



36 



AMERICAN COLLEGES. 



treme and average amounts of the total annual ex- 
penses : 

College. 



Room Rent. 
Annual. 



Board, 

Weekly. 



^3 

H<4 



Total Ex- 
penses, 
Annual. 



Amherst 

Beloit 

Boston University . . 
Bowdoin 



.#18 — 125 — 45J3.00 — 6.00 — 4.00 #100 #350 — 1,000 — 500 



15— 40— 30 1.50—3.50—2.50 

60 — 120 — 80 3.00 — 8.00 — 4.00 

50 — 25 2.75 — 4.00 — 3.00 



Brown 20- 



30 3.00—5.00—3.75 



Un. of California 30 — 100 — 50 4.00 — 9.00 — 5.00 

Columbia 300 — 450* 



Cornell, about. 
Dartmouth. . . . 
Hamilton 



45 2.50 — 6.00 — 4.00 
20 — 40 — 30 2.50 — 4.00 
6 — 36 — 20 3.00 — 5.00 — 4.00 



36 
60 

75 

100 

o 

200 
60 
70 
60 



200 — 500 — 300 
300 — 1,000 — 500 
300 — 800 — 500 
350 — 1.000 — 500 

250 1,200 500 

600 — 3,000 — 800 

300 — i,joo — 500 

300 — 9OO — 50O 
350 — 800 450 

450 — 3,000 — 800 



Harvard 22 — 300 — 1254.00 — i.oo — 6.00 150 

Haverford( Friends') 425 



Illinois 14 — 50 — 28 2.50 — 4.00 — 3.50 

Michigan Un 30 — 80 — 40 1.50 — 5.00 — 3.00 

North-western Un.,.. 10 — 50 — 20 1.80 — 6.00 — 2.50 

Oberlin 7-5o— 30 2.25— 4.00— 3.0c 

Princeton 27— 86— 50 3.25—7.00—5.00 



Trinity 

Tufts 15- 

Union 

Un. of Virginia 15 — 2 

Wesleyan Un ... 18— 36— 24 2.75—5.00—3.50 

Williams 15— 50— 30 3.00—6.00—4.00 



54 3-°°- 
75— 40 
150! 3.00- 
30 2.25- 



-6.00 — 4.00 

3-5° 
-5.00 
-4.50—3.00 



Yale. 



140 — 50 4.00 — 8.00 — 6.00 



36 
o 

45 
12 

75 
90 

75 

75 

75 

75 

140 



Vassar Room and Board, $300 



200 — 500 — 300 
175— 700—370 
250 — 600 — 350 

250— 750—350 
350 — 1,200 — 600 
300 — 1,000 — 500 
350 — 1,000 — 550 
300 — 800 — 500 
300 — 900 — 500 
300 — 1,000 — 500 
300 — 1,000 — 500 
400 — 3,000 — 800 
500 — 1,000 — 600 



* Board and room. 



f Room-rent and tuition. 



The most important induction which this table 
affords is, that at the large majority of our colleges an 
annual expenditure of $500 is sufficient to allow the 



EXPEA r SES AND PECUNIARY AID. 



37 



student to avail himself of the full advantages of the 
education which they afford. At Columbia, Yale, 
Harvard, $700 or $800 are required ; but at Princeton, 
Williams, Amherst, Dartmouth, and the large majority 
of the best eastern colleges $500 supports the 
student with comfort and respectability. At the best 
of the western colleges $300 or $350 is equivalent to 
$500, as expended in the best of the Eastern, with per- 
haps the exception of Harvard and Yale. 

The pecuniary aid that is given to students in many 
of the colleges is considerable, and its amount, except- 
ing the present financial depression, increases each 
year. In the case of a few of the following colleges, 
several of their scholarships are not at present avail- 
able, as at Harvard and Amherst ; but in the case of 
others, the amount of the pecuniary aid is slightly 
larger than is indicated. For this amount annually 
varies with the liberality of the friends of the college 
and with the income of the college funds. 

AMOUNT OF AID FOR STUDENTS. 

Amherst. — 101 scholarships of $86 ; income of $75,000 
to candidates for ministry. 

Beloit. — Tuition free to candidates for ministry, and 
to a few others. 

Boston University. — Tuition free to a few needy stu- 
dents. 



38 AMERICAN COLLEGES. 

Bowdoin. — 27 scholarships, average $60; also, a bene- 
ficiary fund of $550. 
Brown. — 100 scholarships average $80; income of 

$8,000 ; and deduction on tuition fee. 
University of California. — No aid, but tuition is free 

to State students. 
Columbia. — 40 scholarships, and tuition free to needy 

students. 
Cornell. — 128 scholarships, and opportunities for self 

support. 
Dartmouth. — 124 scholarships average $70. 
Hamilton. — 20 scholarships average $80 ; also, $3,000. 
Harvard. — 112 scholarships average $235; also, $3,500. 
Haverford (Friends'). — " Several " scholarships of 

$225. 
Illinois. — 7 scholarships of $36. 
Michigan University has neither scholarships nor 

beneficiary funds. 
North-western. — Small amounts loaned to candidates 

for ministry. 
Oberlin. — Offers no direct aid, only " facilities for 

self-support." 
Princeton. — " Limited " number scholarships of $75 ; 

to candidates for Presbyterian ministry, $30. 
Trinity. — Scholarships amounting to about $4,000. 
Tufts. — 27 scholarships average $75 ; tuition free to 

ten students ; also, gratuities. 



EXPENSES AND PECUNIARY AID. 



39 



Union. — Numerous scholarships averaging $100. 

University of Virginia. — Tuition free to candidates 
for ministry and to very needy students. 

Wesleyan University. — A "limited'' number of 
scholarships of $75. 

Williams. — $9,000 is divided among needy students. 

Yale. — 28 scholarships of $60; $12,000 for candidates 
for ministry. 

Vassar. — Income of $56,000 distributed in scholar- 
ships of $100 and $200. 



40 AMERICAN COLLEGES. 



CHAPTER III. 

MORALS. 

As the custom of drinking intoxicating liquors is 
less prevalent in the community to-day than a century 
or a half century ago, so among college men the popu- 
larity of tippling habits has steadily decreased in the 
course of the last hundred years. During the 
eighteenth century, at Yale College, the evils of in- 
temperance were a constant source of anxiety to its 
officers, and numerous were the resolves of its Cor- 
poration intended to effect their decrease. In 1737 
the Corporation observed that on " Commencement oc- 
casions there is a great expense in spirituous distilled 
liquors in college which is justly offensive," and 
adopted measures to lessen the consumption of the 
costly beverages. Nine years later it passed a law, 
whose prohibitory character may have nursed a col- 
lege rebellion, that " the Butler shall not keep or sell in 



MORALS. 



41 



the Buttery more than twelve barrells of strong beer in 
one year." The members of the graduating class at 
the Commencement season, however, were allowed 
exceptional privileges. Each was permitted to buy 
" one quart of wine and one pint of rum," though it 
is expressly stated he can have no other " kind of 
strong drink " in his " chamber." * At the same 
period of 1760 and 176 1, a similar laxity of college 
law and sentiment prevailed at Harvard regarding 
the use of liquor. At Bowdoin, too, at the beginning 
of the present century " in each college room there 
was a sideboard sparkling with wines and stronger 
stimulants." And on Commencement days its gradu- 
ates, as those of other colleges, entertained their 
friends with " rum, gin, brandy, wine," etc.f 

But the college-drinking customs of fifty and a 
hundred years ago are now thoroughly changed. 
Yale College no longer buys each year " twelve barrels 
of strong beer " for the use of its students. The 
Harvard student entertains his friends with punch only 
in the face of impending suspension. And the Bow- 
doin man, like all the dwellers in the Maine-law 
State, is compelled to buy his brandy at the " town 

* Professor Fisher's Centennial Discourse on the History 
of the Church of Christ in Yale College. Appendix. 

f Prof. E. C. Smyth's Three Discourses upon the Religious 
History of Bowdoin College, p. 8, and Appendix. 



42 



AMERICAN COLLEGES. 



agency," and under this limitation can secure it 
only for medicinal purposes. A similar elevation of 
custom and sentiment regarding intemperance has 
taken place in all the older colleges, as it has in the 
general community. 

The number of the students in New England col- 
leges who are addicted to the use of intoxicating 
liquors to a greater or less degree varies, it is esti- 
mated from carefully prepared statistics, from about 
one-eighth to about three-fifths. It is usually acknowl- 
edged that intemperance is more prevalent at large 
than at small colleges ; and that among eastern col- 
leges as small a proportion of Amherst and Williams 
men are addicted to drink as at any New England 
college. At certain western colleges, however, a case 
of drunkenness is seldom known to occur. This is 
true with regard to Oberlin, one of whose rules is, as 
it is also the rule of other colleges both east and 
west, summarily to expel the student guilty of intox- 
ication. At the University of Michigan, with five 
hundred students in the college, and double this num- 
ber in the university, " cases of drunkenness," one of 
its professors writes me, " are exceedingly rare." 

College opinion regarding the immorality of in- 
temperance varies to as great a degree as the propor- 
tion of men in different institutions who are addicted 
to the habit. In most country colleges of the east, 



MORALS. 



43 



where the temptations to indulgence are the fewest, 
intemperance is reprobated as a vice and a crime. In- 
flammation of the eyes, except as occasioned by the 
midnight study of Greek, is regarded as a " scarlet 
letter " of disgrace. The intemperate student is not 
only shunned by his classmates, but if, " while the fit 
is on him," he chance to reel before a professor's 
eyes, he is at once compelled to drink the hemlock of 
summary dismission. In western colleges the case 
is similar. Though among western students mere 
drinking is not so harshly frowned upon as in some of 
the Puritan colleges of the east, yet drunkenness is 
as severely anathematized in the University of Wiscon- 
sin as in the University of Vermont. But among the 
students of our largest and in many respects best col- 
leges of the east, there is a tendency, which exists in 
spite of all the efforts of the governing boards to 
crush it out, to look upon drunkenness as a rather 
necessary escapade of hot-blooded youth. It is seldom 
that in these colleges indulgences in liquor costs the 
tippler the loss of either a friend or an acquaintance. 
The college officers, however, are inclined to deal 
severely with him, and either the disgrace of a repri- 
mand or a temporary suspension is the penalty he 
usually pays for his offense. 

In regard to that vice from which the college, as 
well as the community, suffers irreparable injury, it is 



44 



AMERICAN COLLEGES. 



impossible to write with a high degree of definiteness. 
It is very gratifying to say that a much smaller pro- 
portion of college men are addicted to it than to 
drunkenness ; but it is very humiliating to be obliged 
to confess that, as far as can be judged, its prevalence 
has vastly increased within the last score of years. A 
condemnation, on the part of the students, is meted 
out against the former vice similar to that which is 
felt regarding intemperance, but as a rule far more 
severe and more just. College faculties, also, mani- 
fest much greater rigor in dealing with it than with 
drunkenness. 

The causes of the difference in the moral condi- 
tion of the students of most large colleges, the majority 
of which are located in or near cities, and that of the 
students of small colleges situated in the country, are 
numerous and diverse. They are found to exist both 
in the pre-college training of the students, and in the 
character and surroundings of the colleges. 

The chief consideration relating to the pre-college 
influence of the students at large city colleges, is the 
fact that the vast majority of them were brought up 
and reside in cities. About one-half of the Harvard 
men, for example, reside in Boston (within a radius 
of eight miles of Beacon Hill), New York city and 
Brooklyn. The homes of a large part of the other 
half are in cities of the size of Cleveland or Worcester, 



MORALS. 45 

Only a small proportion of the whole number, there- 
fore, reside in country towns. Nearly one-half of the 
Yale students, also, live in cities of at least fifty 
thousand population ; and one-fifth have homes in 
New York city and Brooklyn. But in country col- 
leges the large majority of the students were born, 
bred, and live " sub tegmiue fagi " — under the vine 
and fig-tree. Three-fifths of the Bowdoin men reside 
in the country towns of Maine. Williams seldom has 
more than three or four Boston or New York men in 
a class. Illinois college, according to a recent cata- 
logue, has not a single student from Chicago. At 
Michigan University, three-fifths of the students re- 
side in the State, and the State contains only one 
large city. Dartmouth, Amherst, Middlebury, Be- 
loit, in fact all country colleges, draw the majority of 
their students from the country. 

The fact that so large a proportion of the students 
at certain of our colleges are city-bred, affects the 
question of their morality in various ways. Not a few 
of these students are immoral on their entering col- 
lege. The pre-college influences, outside of their own 
homes, have for many of them been excellent prepar- 
atory schools for Sophomoric dissipation. Even the 
home influences, in not a few cases, have failed to out- 
weigh the evil attractions of the gambling table and its 
accessories. At one of our large colleges, it is esti- 



4 6 



AMERICAN COLLEGES. 



mated that six-sevenths of the immoral men reside in 
cities of at least twenty-five thousand inhabitants. 
But it is seldom, though sometimes the case, that a 
student from the country, when he enters a country 
college, is immoral. The vicious class in the country 
towns is not the student class. Not only the purity 
of the student's home but the associations of his coun- 
try life have been elevating. Vice in its various forms 
is to his eyes " a painted ship on a painted ocean." 
The Freshman, therefore, at large city colleges, is 
usually more disposed to dissoluteness than his brother 
at small country colleges. 

The students at large colleges in the city are 
wealthier. As the city is wealthier than the country, 
so the average student at large city colleges receives 
a larger income than the average student at the coun- 
try college. It is needless to say that money is not 
only the sine qua 11011 to indulgence in Sophomoric 
peccadillos, but it is also the immediate occasion of 
dissipation. A wealthy student with an annual allow- 
ance of $2,000 is an excellent Faust for some Mephis- 
topheles. But a poor student, stinted to $300 annu- 
ally, cannot " afford " to be immoral. 

" Gold were as good as twenty orators, 
And will, no doubt, tempt him to anything." 

There are, it must be acknowledged, vices that are 
as cheap as dirt, and that can be enjoyed in the coun- 



MORALS. 47 

try, as well as in the city, college for the merest pit- 
tance. But, as a rule, cheap vices are not attractive 
to the college man of dissolute proclivities ; and, there- 
fore, the poor student is not so subject to their temp- 
tations as is his wealthy classmate. 

Our large colleges are, moreover, from the fact 
that they are large, subject to vices from which the 
small colleges are inherently free. In classes of one 
hundred and fifty or of two hundred men, immoral- 
ities do not stand forth in so bold relief as in classes 
of twenty or fifty. A single black sheep in a flock of 
twenty is a more prominent object than are ten in a 
flock of two hundred. The notoriety, therefore, sure 
to follow his dissipation, may debar a student at a 
small college from vice ; but its comparative absence 
in a large college may urge the student into dissolute 
habits. 

In a large college, once more, the esprit de corps is 
strong. The immoral men are sufficiently numerous 
to form a ring for mutual " aid and comfort," and they 
buckle themselves to each other by common habits 
and purposes. But the two or three men of evil pro- 
pensities in a small class feel nothing of that assur- 
ance which numbers give. In their loneliness they 
are more inclined to find cheer in their Plato than in 
drinking from the flowing bowl of punch. 

The situation of colleges in and near large cities 



48 AMERICAN COLLEGES. 

presents numerous opportunities for vicious indul- 
gences. If Yale were located at Williamstown, Harvard 
at Hanover, Columbia at Ithaca, the moral character 
of their students would be elevated in as great a de- 
gree as the natural scenery of their localities would be 
increased in beauty. Small towns like Brunswick, 
Hanover, Williamstown, Amherst and Ann Arbor, 
offer few opportunities for either the formation or in- 
dulgence of evil habits. 

But a consideration of far greater importance than 
either the moral condition of our colleges or the causes 
that influence college men into dissolute courses is 
the methods by which this moral condition may be 
elevated and purified. All the various means which 
tend to promote moral reformations in the community 
tend thereby to produce corresponding results among 
college students. There are, however, certain methods 
whose observance would especially tend to root out 
college immoralities. Most of the methods which I 
venture to suggest are followed to a greater or less 
extent in the large majority of the colleges, but a 
stricter enforcement of certain of them could not, in 
any college, fail to be of the highest service both to 
the college and the community. 

First. The inquiry regarding the morals of those 
applying for admission should be more critical. It is 
a requirement at most, if not all, colleges that the ap- 



MORALS. 49 

plicant present a certificate, signed by his teacher or 
some other " responsible person," of his " good moral 
character." But this certificate, for the purpose for 
which it is designed, may not be worth the paper on 
which it is written ; for of its signers the college often 
knows nothing. A student, therefore, of the most 
depraved tendencies has no difficulty in making his 
character appear to his college examiners as white as 
he chooses. I know a case in which a graduate of 
one of the Phillips academies, of most dissolute habits, 
presented himself for admission at a New England 
college with a certificate signed by a classmate whose 
character probably was hardly superior to his own. 
To insure, therefore, the certainty of excluding im- 
moral men, the college should require that the certifi- 
cate of the applicant be signed only by those 
of whose right to sign it is, either directly or in- 
directly, cognizant. At the same time also, many 
of the preparatory schools and individuals, as pri- 
vate tutors and clergymen, should exercise much 
greater strictness in their bestowal of certificates of 
moral character. The college and the school can 
thus work together in elevating the moral tone of 
their students. 

Second. The college officers should exercise more 
strict supervision over students of evil tendencies. A 
college officer should not only have a room in each 

4 



50 



AMERICAN COLLEGES. 



college dormitory, as is now the custom, but he should 
be especially alert for detecting any disorderly prac- 
tices committed by the men under his care. 

Third. Whenever what is judged to be sufficient 
evidence is offered that a student is guilty of heinous 
offences, he should be summarily expelled. By re- 
maining in college he usually takes to himself seven 
others worse than himself, and his last end, including 
that of his companions, is worse than his first. The 
summary expulsion of half a dozen men from cer- 
tain of our colleges for habitual tippling and other 
vices, would to a large degree wipe out these evils. 

Fourth. Students should be, as any citizen, amen- 
able to the civil law. From this law in petty offences 
custom makes them substantially free. It is only a 
short time since that a police officer in a college town 
endeavored to obtain entrance to a room in which he 
knew disorderly practices were being committed. 
Defied by the students, he was obliged to appeal to a 
college professor. The students at one of our colleges 
flatter themselves with the pleasant fiction that a 
police officer has no right to venture on to the college 
campus to arrest a law-breaking student. There is 
no reason why the municipal law should not touch 
the disorderly collegian as well as any disorderly 
citizen. The proper relation of the college student to 
the government of the city in which he abides is well 



MORALS. 5 1 

stated in the position assumed by the University of 
Michigan. This University holds, that its " students 
are temporary residents of the city, and, like all other 
residents, are amenable to the laws. Whenever guilty 
of disorder or crime, they are liable to arrest, fine, 
and imprisonment, and can claim no peculiar exemp- 
tion from public disgrace and legal penalties." 

Fifth. The moral condition of most colleges would 
be greatly elevated by more intimate association of 
the professors and the students. The intimacy of 
this association is far more easily gained in a small 
than a large college. But the moral influences with 
which every college, large as well as small, desires to 
surround her men, would be vastly augmented by 
means of the personal association of instructors and 
students. The precise methods that may be adopted 
for accomplishing this purpose differ in different in- 
stitutions, but some method should and can be em- 
ployed in every college by which the professor can 
directly influence the moral as well as the intellectual 
character of his students. 

Sixth. It should hardly be necessary to suggest 
that the moral character of college officers ought 
to be worthy of the highest respect of the men 
under their charge. But in certain of our colleges, 
students are willing to acknowledge that the moral 
character of some of their professors neither commands 



52 AMERICAN COLLEGES. 

nor deserves their esteem. A college whose professors 
are known, with a reasonable degree of certainty, to 
be immoral cannot demand moral purity of its Fresh- 
man. The upright character of the professor is the 
first condition for demanding upright character in the 
student. 

Seventh. The seventh and last method that I beg 
to suggest for promoting the morality of college life 
is the refusal of his degree to any student of thoroughly 
dissipated habits. If it is true, as is currently reported, 
that Harvard, at her Commencement in 1877, refused 
to bestow degrees upon certain men on the ground of 
their notorious dissoluteness, the example may be fol- 
lowed with profit by other colleges. The liability to 
lose that bit of parchment, for gaining which he is 
spending four years, acts as a fitting restraint upon 
the immoral inclinations of any undergraduate. 

There are, however, not a few considerations in 
regard to the moral welfare of our colleges which 
lighten up this picture that may appear in certain 
points lamentably dark. 

The age of the men on entering college is now, 
and has been during the century, steadily increasing. 
With age comes that self-control and that conscious- 
ness of responsibility which are the best barriers to 
dissoluteness. At Harvard the average age of admis- 
sion is now about eighteen and a half years, and during 



MORALS. 53 

the last score of years the average has risen six 
months. (President Eliot's Report for 1874-75). To 
the increased maturity of the undergraduates may be 
attributed in part the disfavor with which hazing is 
coming to be regarded by students. In several colleges 
this puerile and inhuman custom is obsolete, and in 
most obsolescent. 

There was probably, moreover, never a time in the 
history of American colleges when their standard of 
scholarship was so high as it is at present. Students 
are now obliged to work with that carefulness and 
thoroughness which tend to wean them from dissolute 
courses. In many colleges they can find no time to 
be immoral ; but in other colleges an increase of the 
amount of the work would be of use in restraining 
from vicious indulgences. 

The moral condition of American colleges is, so 
far as the writers knowledge extends, far superior to 
the condition of the English University of Cambridge, 
and, judged by Cambridge, of Oxford, also. In his 
" Five Years in an English University," Mr. Bristed 
says (Revised Edition of 1874, pp. 413, 414) : "The 
reading [hard-working] men are obliged to be toler- 
ably temperate, but among the rowing men there is a 
great deal of absolute drunkenness at dinner and sup- 
per parties. . . . The American graduate is ut- 
terly confounded at the amount of open profligacy 



54 AMERICAN COLLEGES. 

going on all around him at an English university ; a 
profligacy not confined to the rowing set, but includ- 
ing many of the reading men and not altogether spar- 
ing those in authority." 

Into a condition of such moral depravity American 
colleges have never fallen; and there is no valid 
reason to believe they ever will fall into it. 



RELIGION. 55 



CHAPTER IV. 

RELIGION. 

Religion was the corner-stone in the foundation of 
our older colleges. Harvard, founded in 1636, sprang 
from the " dreading to leave an illiterate ministry to 
the churches," and bears the name of a Congregational 
clergyman. Its welfare was the frequent topic of 
sermons, and the constant burden of the prayers of 
the early colonists. Yale, founded at the close of the 
seventeenth century, was designed to inculcate a more 
orthodox Christianity than Harvard was supposed to 
represent, and to educate a ministry for the New Haven 
colony. Princeton, established in 1746, was intended 
to supply " the church with learned and able ministers 
of the Word." Dartmouth was founded in 1769 on 
the fundamental principles of the Christian religion. 
Bowdoin was dedicated in its first years to the Church 
of Christ. And Amherst was planted in 1825 for 



56 AMERICAN COLLEGES. 

the sake, primarily, of training men for the foreign mis- 
sionary work. Indeed the strong religious character 
of nearly all the older colleges at their foundation is indi- 
cated by President Witherspoon, of Princeton, in saying, 
" Cursed be all that learning that is contrary to the 
Cross of Christ ; cursed be all that learning that is 
not coincident with the Cross of Christ ; cursed be 
all that learning that is not subservient to the Cross of 
Christ." 

But not only in the purposes of the establishment 
of the early colleges was the religious element mani- 
fest, but also in their government and instruction. At 
Harvard, many of the early "laws, liberties and 
orders " related to the Christian duties of the students : 
" Every one shall consider the main end of his life and 
studies to know God and Jesus Christ, which is eter- 
nal life." " Every one shall so exercise himself in 
reading the Scriptures twice a day that they be ready 
to give an account of their proficiency therein, both 
in theoretical observations of language and logic, and 
in practical and spiritual truths." " They shall eschew 
all profanation of God' s holy name, attributes, word, 
ordinances, and times of worship ; and study with 
reverence and love, carefully to retain God and his 
truth in their minds." These and similar rules relating 
to religious and moral conduct, formed the large body 
of the laws to which the first students at Harvard 



RELIGION. 57 

were subject They were not, moreover, dissimilar to 
the first laws of many of the oldest colleges. The course 
of instruction, also, was thoroughly imbued with the 
religious element. The Hebrew language was studied 
in common with the Latin and the Greek ; and the 
Old Testatment and the New, in the original, formed 
one of the principle books of linguistic study. " To 
read the original of the Old and the New Testament 
into the Latin tongue," was the chief condition to 
receiving Harvard's first degree. A portion, also, of the 
undergraduates were required to repeat in public, ser- 
mons, memoriter, whenever requested by the proper 
authority. 

But this marked religious bias in college government 
and instruction has now passed away. The under- 
graduate is still required, in most colleges, to attend 
church twice on the Sabbath, and prayers daily, in the 
chapel, but beyond these simple requirements the 
college usually makes no religious demands, upon him. 
The instruction, too, has lost its deep religious col- 
oring. Hebrew is relegated to the divinity school ; 
and the only direct study made of the New Testament 
is a recitation in its Greek of a Monday morning. But 
the custom of devoting the first exercise of the week's 
work to New Testament Greek is obsolescent. Its 
chief purpose is to prevent the student from studying 
on the Sabbath unsabbatarian subjects, but as its in- 



58 



AMERICAN COLLEGES. 



fluence in this respect is inconsiderable, the custom is 
slowly passing away. A study of the evidences of 
Christianity and allied topics is also made in many 
colleges, but it is brief and cursory ; and the enlarging 
field of human knowledge renders it expedient, in the 
judgment of many college officers, to consign the 
Christian evidences and similar subjects of study to 
the theological seminary. The American college has, 
therefore, ceased to be in its organization, government, 
and instruction a distinctively religious institution. 

Yet in the establishment and organization of many 
of the western colleges, the religious idea is still very 
prominent. Not a few of the colleges in Ohio, Illi- 
nois, Iowa and adjoining States are outgrowths of 
home missionary movements, and are primarily de- 
signed for the training of a Christian ministry. The 
first educated men that, as a class, entered the North- 
west territory and the territories bordering the western 
bank of the Mississippi, were the home missionaries. 
Their aim was to permeate the new West with Chris- 
tian influences ; and among the earliest and most 
effective means they employed, was the establishment 
of colleges. These colleges were, therefore, Christian 
in their origin, purpose and operation. Iowa College 
was founded in 1847, by the famous "Iowa" or 
" Andover Band" (a dozen graduates of Andover 
Theological Seminary, who entered Iowa in 1846), and 



RELIGION. 



59 



has been, and still is, one of the chief instruments in 
the evangelization of that great State. Western Re- 
serve College sprang from the desire of the home mis- 
sionaries of a school for educating ministers. Illinois 
College was founded by the Home Missionary Asso- 
ciation. The first years of Oberlin College were 
thoroughly pervaded with Christian influences ; and 
the spirit that ruled its founders is indicated in the in- 
scription on a banner that waved from a flagstaff in 
the little village — " Holiness unto the Lord." Many, 
therefore, of the recently established colleges of the 
west are pre-eminently Christian in their foundation 
and purposes. 

Indeed, in the case of the vast majority of our 
three hundred colleges, the religious element, though 
of little weight in the legal organization and 
scholastic working of the college, has a most impor- 
tant influence in the daily life and on the character of 
the students. The professors and instructors are, as a 
rule, Christians. Though it is seldom that a religious 
test is made a condition to holding a post of instruc- 
tion, yet, as a matter of fact, the large majority of the 
members of college faculties are communicants in the 
church. Amherst exacts no religious creed of her 
instructors, yet, it is the testimony of President Seelye 
that, "we should no more think of appointing to a post 
of instruction here an irreligious, than we should an 



60 AMERICAN COLLEGES. 

immoral, man, or one ignorant of the topic he would 
have to teach." In Princeton, also, no religious test 
is required, but Dr. McCosh writes that, " most of 
our instructors are Presbyterians, but we commonly 
have members of other religious denominations." In 
Brown University the case is similar ; though de- 
manding no religious pledge, " it would doubtless de- 
cline," says President Robinson, " to take an atheist 
or a professed skeptic as a professor." Oberlin Col- 
lege, also, has "no confession of faith prescribed by 
custom for the instructors in any department of the 
college," writes its president, " but it is customary, and 
has been from the foundation of the school, to ap- 
point as instructors such only as give evidence of 
Christian character, as this term is commonly under- 
stood among Evangelical believers." Though the 
State University of Michigan, too, demands no relig- 
ious conditions of its professors, yet " as a matter of 
fact," says President Angell, " the great majority of 
our instructors have always been communicants in 
churches." At Yale and Harvard, also, a large num- 
ber of the professors are recognized as Christians. 
Though, therefore, the large majority of the colleges 
require no religious confession of their professors, the 
great body of their professors are believers in the 
religion of Christ. The American college, as now con- 
ducted, is devoted to the promotion of knowledge and 



RELIGION. 6 1 

intellectual discipline ; but the Christian character of 
its professors renders its influence Christian in the 
highest degree. The American college is Christian 
in the same way in which the American government 
can be said to believe in the existence of a God. 
Though the existence of a Supreme Ruler is unac- 
knowledged in constitution or statute, yet it is con- 
stantly recognized in the carrying on of all the de- 
partments of the State. 

Into the life of the students, also, religion is 
thoroughly ingrained. About one-half of the twenty- 
six thousand men and women who are now pursuing 
regular college courses are Christians. The proportion 
of those who are, to those who are not, Christians 
varies with colleges. The lowest extreme is probably 
(in general terms) one to five, as at Harvard, and the 
highest nine to ten, as at Oberlin ; at Dartmouth and 
Bowdoin, one from every three students is a Christian ; 
at Yale, two from every five ; at Michigan University 
and Western Reserve, one from every two ; At Prince- 
ton, Brown University, Ripon, and Marietta, three 
from every five ; at Amherst, Williams, Middlebury, 
Wesleyan University, Iowa, and Berea, four from 
every five. About thirteen thousand, therefore, of the 
twenty-six thousand college students in the country 
may be regarded as Christians. 

The increase in the proportion of Christian col- 



62 AMERICAN COLLEGES. 

legians within the last twenty-five years is most 
gratifying. In 1853 only one man in every ten at 
Harvard College was a professor of religion ; at 
Brown, one in every five ; at Yale, Dartmouth and 
Bowdoin, one in every four ; at Williams, one from 
two ; and at Amherst, five in every eight. At Mid- 
dlebury the ratio was as it is now, four from every 
five students being Christians. (Tyler's Prayer for 
Colleges, p. 136.) In these seven representative col- 
leges, selected at random, the proportion of Christian 
students has increased in a most remarkable degree 
in the last quarter of a century. But the advance, as 
compared with the religious condition of the colleges 
in the first years of the century, is still more marked. 
At that time the flood of French infidelity was sweep- 
ing over the land, and the effects it wrought in the col- 
leges were most disastrous. At Harvard and Yale 
the number of Christian students was probably fewer 
than at any other period in their history. " In the 
first classes " at Bowdoin College, founded in 1802, 
writes Professor Smyth,* " I can learn of but one 
who may have been deemed, at the time of admission, 
hopefully pious." At Williams there was, near the 
same period, " but one in the Freshman class, who be- 
longed to any church ; none in the higher classes." f 

* Religious History of Bowdoin College, p. 7. 
\ History of Williams College, p. III. 



RELIGION. 63 

But within the course of two generations, so thorough 
have been the religious changes, that it is safe to say 
at the present time at least one-half of American col- 
lege students are Christian men and women. 

The religious life of college men is manifested in 
various methods of Christian endeavor. In many- 
colleges, as at Dartmouth, Iowa, are societies which 
bear the same relation to the Christian students as 
literary societies bear to literary students. These so- 
cieties hold weekly or fortnightly meetings, with a 
programme composed of orations, debates, and essays 
upon religious topics ; and they are also the spring 
whence flow the religious activities of the college. 
Their members frequently organize mission Sunday 
schools in the city or town in which the college is 
located, and in many colleges noble results have been 
thus accomplished. Three such schools are supported 
by the students of Olivet College, six by those of 
Beloit, and ten by those of Iowa. Prayer-meetings 
are also held each week in the college, and are con- 
ducted and supported by both professors and students. 
In many colleges, moreover, exists a church, of the 
denomination which the college represents, and with 
a membership made up principally of the college offi- 
cers and students. Yale, Amherst, Harvard, Dart- 
mouth, and a large number of other colleges, have 
churches which are the religious home of many of 
their Christian students. 



64 AMERICAN COLLEGES. 

But the most important characteristic of the re- 
ligious life of the college is the revival. The revival 
is both the cause and the result of that Christian tone 
and color which mark the great majority of American 
colleges. It is of more frequent occurrence, of longer 
continuance, of greater pervasiveness, and of a calmer, 
intellectual character among college men than in any- 
other class of the community. At Yale, Harvard, and 
Brown, revivals have of late years been infrequent, 
but at most colleges it is seldom that a college gen- 
eration has passed away without first passing through 
a revival of religion. In nearly every year Amherst 
College experiences such an awakening. Its extent 
and intensity vary much with different years ; and in 
recent seasons, the winters of 1870, 1872, 1876, and 
1878, are noteworthy as witnessing an unusual de- 
gree of spiritual interest. At Princeton, each of the 
last twenty-five classes, with one or two exceptions, 
has in the course of the four years passed through a 
revival reason ; and it was only three years since that 
over a hundred students were converted in a single 
term. Wesleyan University, Dartmouth, Williams, 
Hamilton, and other eastern colleges are not infre- 
quently subject to special revival influences, and a 
considerable proportion of their students become 
Christians during their college course. 

In the colleges for women, as Vassar, Wellesley, 



RELIGION, 65 

Smith, the revival spirit is also very pervasive. Al- 
most three-sevenths of the Vassar students are Chris- 
tians, and several become so in the four years of their 
college life. Wellesley College was founded express- 
ly in the interests of the Church of Christ, and the 
revival influence of its founder and chief guardian 
pervades the whole college. A large number of the 
students which Smith College, in the Connecticut 
valley, gathers is Christian, and all the influences of 
this Amherst for women are as Christian as they are 
scholarly. 

But it is probably in the western colleges that re- 
vivals are most frequent and extensive. In many of 
them revivals occur as regularly as the coming of the 
winter, and, considered as a whole, about one-half of 
their students become Christians during the four 
years of the college course. This is especially true 
in regard to Oberlin and Iowa College. At Marietta 
and Ripon, about one-third of the students are con- 
verted in the four years. It is very difficult, as one 
of its former students remarked, to graduate at Iowa 
College without becoming a Christian ; and the case 
is similar in many of the eminently Christian colleges 
of the west. 

The special means that are employed in occasion- 
ing revivals in the college community are similar to 
those that are used in bringing about revivals in the 

5 



66 AMERICAN COLLEGES. 

community at large. Into eastern colleges, however, 
the professional revivalist is seldom called. College 
revivals spring far more naturally from the conditions 
of college life than from the condition of religious life 
in the general community. The thoughtfulness which 
college studies engender, and the culture which they 
foster, incline the attention to religious topics. The 
prolonged intimacy of the friendships of Christian 
and non-Christian students leads many into piety. 
The Christian influence and zeal of professors and in- 
structors awaken a desire in their pupils for a nobler 
and better life. The frequent prayer-meetings, the 
endeavors of religious societies, the religious earnest- 
ness of Christian students, arouse and sustain inquiry 
upon spiritual questions. And the influence of the 
Day of Prayer for Colleges, the last Thursday in 
every January, a day which has been observed in 
some colleges for fifty years by special prayer for the 
conversion of college men, is most efficient in awaken- 
ing revivals of religion. In many western colleges, 
in addition to these means, revivalists are frequently 
employed, and the results of their work are often very 
extended and thorough. 

The frequency and the thoroughness of revivals 
in our colleges are indicated in the fact that Yale 
College, in the course of its history, has experienced 
no less than thirty-six, which have resulted in at least 



RELIGION. 6y 

twelve hundred conversions; Dartmouth College, 
nine, resulting in two hundred and fifty conversions ; 
and Middlebury and Amherst at least twelve each, 
resulting, in the case of the latter college, in three 
hundred and fifty conversions. (Kirk's Lectures on 
Revivals, p. 148.) 

The most interesting feature in the college re- 
vival is its entire freedom from sectarian influences. 
Denominational interests seldom show themselves in 
a college revival of the religion of Christ. Indeed, 
this is the case in regard to the general religious as- 
sociations of the Christian students. Although most 
of our colleges are sectarian, yet the sectarian influ- 
ences they possess over their students are slight. At 
the present time, of three hundred and eleven colleges, 
four represent the Universalist denomination, nine the 
Episcopal,eleven the " Christian," fifteen the Lutheran, 
fifteen the Congregational, thirty-three the Pres- 
byterian, thirty-seven the Baptist, thirty-seven the 
Roman Catholic, and forty-nine the Methodist. The 
remainder is shared among the smaller denomina- 
tions, as the Friends, or the Moravians ; but seventy- 
six of the whole number are non-sectarian. (Report 
of Commissioner of Education for 1876, [with correc- 
tions.]) But in the large majority of the two hundred 
and fifty colleges, which are regarded as denomina- 
tional, excepting, of course, the Roman Catholic, the 



68 AMERICAN COLLEGES. 

Christian life of the students is in a marked degree 
free from denominational influences. Students work 
together in the same religious society for years with- 
out perhaps knowing whether A or B is a Methodist, 
a Baptist, or a Congregationalist. The Christian sect 
to which they belong is of hardly more consequence 
in their mutual association than is the State or city 
in which they were born. 



SOCIETIES. 69 



CHAPTER V. 

SOCIETIES. 

The division of college societies into open and 
secret organizations cannot be made with exactness. 
The doings of the open society are usually manifested 
to whomsoever cares to look at them, but ofttimes are 
half veiled from the students' curiosity. The methods 
and work of the so-called secret society are in certain 
cases concealed with Masonic strictness, and in others 
are revealed with childlike frankness. 

The open societies are far more numerous than 
the secret. They are more popular with the western 
than with the eastern students, but nearly every 
college has at least one public, open society. Har- 
vard has several open societies, whose membership is 
elected and comprises in the Sophomore year about 
one half of the members of a class of the average size, 
and in the succeeding years a somewhat smaller pro- 



70 



AMERICAN COLLEGES. 



portion. With her several secret organizations Yale, 
too, has at least two societies which deserve to be 
called open, the recently revived Linonia and the 
Gamma Nu of the Freshman year. Princeton, pro- 
hibiting secret societies, rejoices in several of the 
open type, three of which are in a very flourishing 
condition. And Cornell, Amherst, Oberlin, Iowa Col- 
lege, and the vast majority of our colleges are well 
equipped with the students' societies. 

The open society is usually of a literary character ; 
and the programme of its weekly or fortnightly meet- 
ing consists of orations, debates, essays and similar 
exercises. But natural history societies, art and 
musical clubs, French and German clubs, also flour- 
ish in a few of the colleges, as Cornell and Harvard. 
The degree of merit of the literary and other work of 
these societies is most diverse. In certain of the 
Harvard societies, in Yale's, Princeton's, Oberlin's, not 
to name others, it is high; but in those of many col- 
leges the performances manifest a need of clear 
thought and a verbiage which are as saddening as 
they are common. 

To the intellectual and literary development of the 
student these societies are of either great or little 
service, or of positive injury, according to the discre- 
tion with which he uses them. There can be no 
doubt but that the open literary societies have, in the 



SOCIETIES. 



71 



past, been of much use in the training of students. 
They have supplemented the curriculum. The cur- 
riculum has been the most defective in affording 
instruction in writing and speaking ; and the society, 
requiring a constant practice in these two arts, has, 
to a large extent, remedied these defects. But these 
defects of the past, in the college course of study, are 
now in a great degree wiped out. The colleges are 
constantly increasing the amount of the attention 
paid to the oratorical and literary accomplishments, 
and, therefore, the need of the literary society is 
now far less urgent than it was fifteen, or twenty-five, 
or fifty years ago. But even at the present time the 
literary society of his college offers advantages to the 
student which, if properly used, may prove of great 
value. These advantages may be summarized as 
consisting chiefly in the increase in his ability to 
think on his feet, facing an audience, in the increase 
in his facility of expression, in the practice in writing, 
in the acquaintance with parliamentary law and order 
which it necessitates and augments, and in the friend- 
ships which it fosters. 

But with these excellences of the open society 
system are linked two dangers to which the society 
student is peculiarly subject. The first and the more 
perilous is the temptation to neglect his regular col- 
lege work for the sake of delivering a creditable part 



72 AMERICAN COLLEGES. 

in his society ; and the second, but hardly less peril- 
ous danger, a tendency to substitute bombast and 
verbiage for clear and condensed thought. If the 
student is faithful to his regular work and presents to 
his fellow-members the results of only patient and 
painstaking thinking, his society may prove of the 
best service to his literary and forensic culture. 

But the influence and importance of the secret, are 
in many colleges much greater than of the open, soci- 
eties. The secret society system at Yale is of at 
least as great importance as at any other college, and 
the honors which it offers are to several students 
in every class more attractive than the honors of high 
scholarship. Amherst and Williams have four or five 
chapters each of the principal societies, and many of 
the social and class-political interests of the students 
cluster about them. In Brown University, Hamilton, 
Bowdoin, Dartmouth, Cornell, Union, Columbia, Wes- 
leyan, and Michigan University, as well as in Yale, 
Amherst, and Williams, the system of secret societies 
prevails to a considerable extent; and probably in 
about one hundred of our colleges at least a single 
chapter is founded. 

The principal secret societies which have estab- 
lished chapters in different colleges are seven in num- 
ber, and bear the names of the Alpha Delta Phi, the 
Delta Kappa Epsilon, the Psi Upsilon, the Kappa 



SOCIETIES. 73 

Alpha, the Sigma Phi, the Chi Psi, and the Delta 
Psi. The three first-named societies have by far the 
largest number of chapters, and, though there are 
frequently additions to the list by means of new foun- 
dations, and omissions in consequence of dissolutions, 
each of the three has about twenty-five chapters. 
The remaining societies have some ten chapters each, 
established in as many different colleges. The first 
chapter of the Alpha Delta Phi was founded at Ham- 
ilton, in 1832 ; the first of the Psi Upsilon at Union, 
in 1833 ; and the first chapters of the Delta Kappa 
Epsilon at Princeton, Bowdoin, and Colby University, 
in 1845. Of the other societies the large majority of 
the chapters have been established within the course 
of the present generation. The total membership of 
the seven organizations from their foundation aggre- 
gates about twenty-five thousand names, over one 
half of which are enrolled under the Delta Kappa 
Epsilon, the Alpha Delta Phi, and the Psi Upsilon. 
The size of the chapters differs from year to year, and 
with the different colleges. It is seldom that more 
than thirty of the undergraduates are enrolled in a 
single chapter, and the number often falls to no more 
than five or six. 

But besides the secret societies, with chapters in 
the different colleges, bearing a relation to each other 
similar to that which the Masonic lodges bear to one 



74 



AMERICAN COLLEGES. 



another, several colleges have societies which are 
distinctively their own possessions. Among the secret 
societies of the latter type, the " Skull and Bones " 
and the "Scroll and Key" of Yale, hold the most 
prominent place. Founded in 1832 and 1841, they 
have for a generation been a most influential factor in 
Yale life. The membership of each consists of fifteen 
men of the incoming Senior class, elected by the 
graduating members on the eve of Commencement. 
Among the members are usually the ablest thinkers, 
the highest scholars, the most popular and the repre- 
sentative men of the class. An election, therefore, 
to either society is a deeply coveted honor. About 
each the strictest secrecy hangs ; and what occurs 
within their stone, windowless, tomb-like halls is a 
constant riddle to the New Haven student. But from 
the high literary and scholarly ability of many of 
their members, and from the advance made by most 
of them in literary studies, it is not difficult to infer 
the general character of their weekly meetings. The 
influence of both associations in Yale life is very 
potent ; and the interest which the graduate members 
feel in them appears to be more warm and lasting 
than that respecting any other feature of the college. 
Unlike Yale, Harvard has no societies that can be 
called secret in the sense in which the " Skull and 
Bones " and " Scroll and Key " are secret. Although 



SOCIETIES. 75 

chapters of the principal societies have been estab- 
lished among her students, none of them have at 
present an active existence ; and it is probable that 
no secret organization would be allowed to be formed 
in the college. The " Hasty Pudding Club " and the 
Pi Eta approach, however, the most closely to the 
secret type, although the character and the work of 
both are familiar to all the students. The former is a 
dramatic and social club ; and the latter of the same 
nature, tinged with a literary hue. The period of 
membership covers the last half of the Junior, and the 
first half of the Senior, year; and the number of 
members usually embraces about half the men of a 
class. Popularity and intellectual ability are the con- 
ditions most important in obtaining an election, al- 
though, ofttimes, the best scholars are members of 
neither association. 

The conditions of membership in the societies 
which are composed of affiliated chapters in the dif- 
ferent colleges are as general and as diverse as those 
favorable to obtaining admission to the peculiar or- 
ganizations of Yale and Harvard. These conditions 
vary in the case of the same society in the different 
colleges, and also in the case of different societies in 
the same college. For admission to certain chapters 
wealth is the only essential ; to others only scholar- 
ship and intellectual ability; to others literary excel- 



7 6 



AMERICAN COLLEGES. 



lence and eminent social qualities ; and to yet others 
all those indefinable qualities which make a " fine fel- 
low." 

The qualities that favor an election to a secret so- 
ciety indicate in general the character of the work 
and of the pleasures which its members cultivate. In 
at least one chapter in nearly every college the work 
is of a literary character ; and to the preparation of 
orations and essays the members ofttimes give more 
attention than to the preparation of similar exercises 
for the college professor of rhetoric. The literary so- 
ciety has proved, with not a few graduates, to be an 
admirable training school for the editorial desk, the 
bar, the pulpit, and the platform. Another society is 
specially devoted to the discussion of political ques- 
tions, which it does with quite as much sagacity and 
with far more decorum than the usual session of the 
House of Representatives. But the most common 
type of the secret society is the social, and, indeed, 
whatever may be the phase specially represented by 
the society, the social invariably receives a consider- 
able degree of emphasis. The social bias of the club 
is indicated in cards, games of Various sorts, con- 
versation upon topics both high and low, and in the 
weekly or monthly dinner spread in the rooms. In 
the social society the warmest and the most lasting 
friendships of college life are formed, and, in the 



SOCIETIES. 77 

judgment of many graduates, the fostering of intimate 
friendship is the most valuable of all the results which 
secret societies effect. 

Regarding the expenses of membership, only the 
initiated have accurate knowledge, and they are not 
permitted to exhibit their financial budgets. Yet cer- 
tain general conclusions are evident. The initiation 
fee seldom exceeds thirty dollars, and is frequently 
much less ; and the annual tax varies with the actual 
expenses. If a society is composed of a few wealthy 
men, this tax may amount to a hundred dollars, but in 
other cases it does not exceed twenty. If the mem- 
bership comprises both the poor and the rich student, 
the rich often relieves his brother of all financial bur- 
dens. The poor is seldom or never compelled to pay 
beyond his means ; the rich is usually glad to give of 
his abundance. The expenses of the buildings, which 
the society either owns or occupies, is often very great. 
The marble building of the " Scroll and Key," at New 
Haven, cost about fifty thousand dollars; and that of 
the " Skull and Bones " is worth at least twenty-five 
thousand. The Alpha Delta Phi has a very good 
building at Amherst, and the new hall of the Kappa 
Alpha, at Williams, cost fifteen thousand. These 
funds are contributed in a large measure by the grad- 
uate members, and the undergraduates bear but a 
small proportion of the heavier expenses of the society. 



78 AMERICAN COLLEGES. 

The interest which many graduates feel in their 
society is usually very deep and warm. Their con- 
nection with it does not cease on graduation as with 
the college. They are still its members, are consulted 
in reference to alterations in its methods of work, are 
always, on Commencement and other occasions, wel- 
comed and entitled to its hospitalities. They also 
form associations similar to the alumni associations 
of the college, and by frequent meetings keep their 
interest in its welfare fresh and strong. In the mu- 
tual helpfulness of its members, after as well as before 
graduation, the college secret society is akin to the Ma- 
sonic or Odd Fellow system ; and many cases might 
be recited of aid given in the late war by Unionist to 
rebel, or by rebel to Unionist, making his need known 
by the signs of the association, on the ground that 
once they were, or still are, members of the same so- 
ciety, though in widely separated colleges. 

Regarding the usefulness and the injury effected 
by the secret society system in American colleges, 
the most opposite positions are held by college of- 
ficers. Presidents Chadbourne of Williams, Chamber- 
lin of Bowdoin, maintain that their influence on the 
whole is beneficial; but Chancellor Howard Crosby, 
of the University of the City of New York, Presidents 
Robinson of Brown, and McCosh of Princeton, oppose 
them on strong grounds ; one college president writes 



SOCIETIES. yg 

of their " babyishness," and another calls them an 
"unmitigated nuisance." The principal objections 
which may be urged against them have been summa- 
rized by Dr. Crosby, as : 

i. "They are pretenses, and thus at war with 
truth, candor, and manliness." 

2. " The opportunity given by the secrecy to im 
morality." 

3. " The confidence between parent and child is 
broken, and hence destroyed, by these secret so- 
cieties." 

4. They " interfere with a faithful course of study." 

5. "Natural use of these societies for disturbance 
of public order." 

6. " Their evil influence upon the regular literary 
societies of the college, which are instituted as ad- 
juncts of the curriculum." 

7. " Their expensiveness." 

But the truthfulness of these objections would be 
denied by many college men. For, though the 
grounds upon which the objections are based exist in 
certain societies, they are not, it would be claimed, 
necessarily inherent in the system. 

On the other hand, the arguments most generally 
urged in their favor are the friendships which they 
foster, the literary and forensic discipline they give, 
the home which they afford to the homeless student, 



80 A ME RICA N COLLEGES. 

and the mutual helpfulness which they extend to both 
undergraduate and graduate member. In many col- 
leges, therefore, and among many students, they are 
regarded with much esteem; but in other colleges 
they are the bane of three-fourths of the students and 
the object of constant fear to the governing boards. 



A THLETICS AND HEAL TH. 8 1 



CHAPTER VI. 

ATHLETICS AND HEALTH. 

College athletics may be divided, though not with 
precision, into those sports which are played to a 
great degree for their own sakes, and into those which 
are sought less for their own sake than as a condition 
of the best mental exertion. Cricket, foot-ball, base- 
ball, boating and similar exercises compose the for- 
mer class ; and the exercise usually performed in the 
gymnasium the latter. 

Cricket and foot-ball have never obtained that 
standing among American college men that immemo- 
rial usage has given them among English school boys. 
For at least half a century, however, the students of 
several of the older colleges have played the games 
with varying degrees of interest and expertness. 
Cricket has at times been very popular ; and foot-ball 
at several periods, as in the sixth decade of the pres- 
ent century, has aroused all the energies of the under- 



82 AMERICAN COLLEGES. 

graduate nerve and muscle. Only few cricket clubs 
are now organized ; yet foot-ball elevens are formed 
in many of the colleges. 

At the present time base-ball occasions an interest 
which neither cricket nor foot-ball has ever command- 
ed. The date of the origin of the game cannot be 
determined with exactness. The Knickerbocker 
Club of Hoboken claims the year 1845 as its birth- 
year ; but it was not till fifteen or seventeen years 
later that it began to assume an important place 
among the athletic sports of college men. Base-ball 
has now become as common and popular in our col- 
leges as cricket was or is at the English schools. 
Nearly every college has its nine composed of the 
best players among its students ; and in the largest 
colleges class nines are also formed. During the ball 
season, covering the fall and the spring months, con- 
stant practice in playing is had on the grounds 
allotted by the college for the purpose ; and in the 
winter months the candidates for the nine engage in 
those exercises which specially fit them for effective 
service on the ball field. Tournaments are held each 
spring for the college championship among sev- 
eral colleges ; and the games of Yale, Harvard, 
Princeton, Amherst, and Brown, by reason of the 
large number of their students and other causes, 
arouse a high degree of enthusiasm. But the cham- 



ATHLETICS AND HEALTH. 



83 



pionship ball usually rests in the hands of either Har- 
vard or Yale ; and it lies at present in those of Har- 
vard. 

It is, however, as at Oxford and Cambridge, in 
boating that the principal athletic interest of the stu- 
dents is focalized. In the middle of the fifth decade of 
the current century the first boat clubs were formed in 
the colleges. In 1843 at Yale and in 1844 at Har- 
vard clubs were first organized which, though com- 
posed of few members and awakening little enthusi- 
asm, are the beginnings of the present extensive 
system of American college boating. The growth of 
the system has been very rapid. Nearly every col- 
lege in the East which is situated near a river or a 
lake has its boat club ; and in several of the larger 
colleges, as Cornell, Harvard, and Yale, class and 
other crews are organized. The interest of the stu- 
dents in the sport is fostered by the intercollegiate 
regattas which occur every July, and by the contests 
between rival crews of the same college. The first 
regatta between college crews was rowed on Lake 
Winnipiseogee in August, 1852. Harvard and Yale 
were the only contestants, and the result was a victory 
for Harvard. The first regatta in which more than 
two college crews participated occurred in July, 
1859, m which Yale and Brown were beaten by Har- 
vard. Sixteen notable regattas have since been 



84 AMERICAN COLLEGES. 

pulled. Of them Harvard has won in eight, Yale in 
four, and the Amherst Agricultural, Amherst, Colum- 
bia, and Cornell in one each. In 1 871 the National 
Rowing Association of the American Colleges was 
organized. In two years it had grown to include 
the eleven colleges of Yale, Harvard, Wesleyan, Co- 
lumbia, Cornell, Amherst, Dartmouth, Amherst Agri- 
cultural, Bowdoin, Trinity and Williams. Between 
the crews of these colleges the regatta of the famous 
" diagonal finish line," was rowed on the Connecticut 
at Springfield in 1873. But the difficulty of finding 
a suitable course for so many boats occasioned the 
dissolution of the Association ; and in the present year 
the chief interest in college boating has come to cen- 
ter, as of old, upon the annual contest between Har- 
vard and Yale. 

The rowing of American college men, though con- 
stantly improving in style and swiftness, is not equal 
to that of the Oxford and Cambridge oarsmen. The 
English universities have at least three advantages in 
regard to boating, not possessed by our colleges. The 
number of students from whom a crew can be selected 
is far greater in either of the universities than in the 
largest of our own colleges. In England, too, consid- 
erable attainment is made by many men in the art 
before going to Oxford or Cambridge ; but here many 
men never handle an oar before entering college. 



ATHLETICS AND HEALTH. 85 

The English people, moreover, and the English jour- 
nals, manifest a deeper interest in the annual race be- 
tween Oxford and Cambridge than is excited in this 
country by the college regattas ; and therefore the 
English university oarsman has inducements for hard 
training not possessed by his Harvard or Yale cousin. 
But in spite of these advantages, the two occasions 
on which the undergraduate crews of the two coun- 
tries have met indicate the excellence of American 
college oarsmanship. In 1869 the Oxford four, "the 
finest four-oared crew that ever rowed on the Thames," 
beat the Harvard four over a course of four and a 
quarter miles by only six seconds. The victory of 
Columbia at Henley, in July, 1878, also proves both 
the improvement and the present effectiveness of 
American undergraduate rowing. 

The training that is requisite to occupying a seat 
among a college six or eight is long and severe. In 
the winter daily practice in the gymnasium with 
rowing weights and Indian clubs and frequent runs of 
three or four miles in the open air, and in the spring 
and summer daily pulls on the water form the most 
approved methods of training. The diet, also, par- 
ticularly near the time of the race, is carefully at- 
tended to. Previously to 1867 tne bill of fare was 
very limited ; beef and mutton were the only meats 
and rice the only vegetable generally allowed. Water 



85 AMERICAN COLLEGES. 

and milk alone were drank, and in very small quali- 
ties. But in that year a change in English opinion 
regarding the regimen best adapted to men in 
training, increased the number and the amount of 
the articles of diet, and at present the men are per- 
mitted great liberty of choice in eating and drinking. 
The purpose now is to keep up and to increase, not 
as formerly to decrease, the weight while doing a full 
amount of work in training. The present system is 
justified by the time that has been made in the re- 
cent races, the quickest ever made by our undergrad- 
uate crews. A similar, though not as rigorous, course 
of training is pursued by the base-ball men. 

The effect of constant attention to these sports 
upon the health and length of life of the rowing and 
ball men is on the whole excellent. This has been con- 
clusively proved by the investigations of an able English 
writer in regard to the health and longevity of the 
English boating men. The chief danger lies in the 
liability to disorders of the heart, caused by sudden 
exertions ; but as those peculiarly subject to these 
diseases seldom touch an oar or a bat, the evils thus 
occasioned are slight. But not a few men of weak 
constitutions have been made vigorous and muscular 
by their college rowing and ball-playing. 

The effect of attention to boating and ball upon 
scholarship is not as excellent as upon health and in 



A THLETICS AND HEALTH. 87 

increasing the length of one's days. Though with 
some marked exceptions, the scholastic rank of boat- 
ing and ball men is low. The expenditure of the 
energy necessary to an indulgence in the sports de- 
creases the amount of the thought and study that 
might otherwise be given to Tacitus and the Calculus. 
But the men who even in the largest colleges pay 
special attention to boating and ball hardly exceed 
thirty in number, and they are usually of that class 
which is not attracted to scholarly pursuits. Their 
athletic interests, therefore, absorb those energies 
which would in many cases be given to other work 
than that of the curriculum. Yet there are notable in- 
stances in which the enthusiasm of a brilliant scholar 
in his Greek and philosophy has decreased in propor- 
tion as his enthusiasm in boating or ball has in- 
creased. 

Within the last five years the physical exercises 
of college men have developed along an altogether 
new line. " Athletic Associations " have sprung up 
in many colleges, whose purpose is to cherish the love 
of such sports as running, walking and jumping. 
Contests are held either once or twice a year ; and 
at them prizes are offered, in competition, to the 
swiftest walkers and runners of the college. Though 
the intercollegiate contests are no longer held, as 
three and four years ago at Saratoga, yet the interest 



83 AMERICAN COLLEGES. 

in these forms of physical exercise is well main- 
tained in a large number of colleges. 

It is not, however, in cricket or foot-ball, base-ball, 
boating or " athletic associations " that the interests of 
the large body of students center: these interests con- 
centrate in the gymnasium. Probably about one half of 
the whole number of colleges has a gymnasium fur- 
nished in a greater or less degree of efficiency with 
parallel and horizontal bars, iron and wooden dumb- 
bells, bowling alleys, rowing weights and similar ap- 
paratus. It is hardly a score of years, however, since 
a well-equipped gymnasium has come to be regarded 
as an essential instrument in college education. Yale's 
gymnasium was not built till 1859, and Harvard's and 
Amherst's not till the next year. Previously, how- 
ever, the Yale and Harvard men had been accustomed 
to exercise on apparatus erected in the open air. The 
proportion of the students in the different colleges 
who avail themselves of the privileges of the gymna- 
sium is very diverse. In Yale about one-half of the men 
exercise with a greater or less degree of regularity ; 
in Harvard about one-third ; and in Amherst, which, 
unlike most colleges, makes attendance obligatory for 
half an hour on four days of the week, eighty-four per 
cent of the students are present at the regular exercises. 

The results that flow from a constant and careful 
practice in the gymnasium are numerous and excel- 



ATHLETICS AND HEALTH. 



89 



lent. To it is due in a large measure the improved 
bearing and better health of the present college men 
over that of their fathers. The typical college man is 
no longer sallow-faced, hollow-chested and weak-kneed, 
but of strong nerves, muscular and vigorous. His 
health is better, his strength greater than the health 
and strength of the average New York or Boston clerk 
of the same age. His freedom from sickness is indi- 
cated by the testimony of Dr. Hitchcock, of Amherst, 
regarding the students under his charge. 

" Dr Jarvis says that the amount of time lost by 
each laborer in Europe is from 19 to 20 days each 
year ; and the Massachusetts board of health state 
that in 1872, in this commonwealth, each productive 
person lost 13 days by sickness. A man here is put 
on the sick-list if he is absent more than two consecu- 
tive days from all college exercises. With this as 
a comparison, between the years of 186 1-2 and 
1876-7 inclusive, 23.30 per cent of the college have 
been entered on the sick-list, or, every student in 
college has constructively lost 2.64 days each year by 
illness; and every sick student has averaged 11.36 
days of absence from college duties. During this 
same period 48, or three each year on an average, 
have left college from physical disabilities, although 
16 of these have returned and entered again their own 
or a succeeding class. The causes which produced 



90 AMERICAN COLLEGES. 

these removals were in 7 cases, constitutional debil- 
ity ; in 6, typhoid fever ; in 5, consumptive tenden- 
cies ; in 6, weak or injured eyes, and single cases be- 
cause of other infirmities. During this period of 16 
years, 16 students have died while connected with 
college — 10 from typhoid fever or its results, 3 by 
violent deaths (all of them during vacation), 2 by con- 
sumption, and 1 by brain fever." 

Although Amherst, with its regular professor of 
physical education and hygiene, pays more attention 
to the gymnastic exercise of its students than any 
other college, results of similar excellence flow from 
the gymnastic work of students in many other colleges. 

But the effect of regular practice in the gymna- 
sium upon the mind is as marked as its effect upon 
the body. It is a commonplace to say that regular 
physical exercise is a condition of the best mental ex- 
ertion ; but as a matter of fact it is true that the 
best students are most conscientious regarding their 
exercise. It is not the working eight or ten hours a 
day which kills students, but it is the lack of exercise, 
the late hours of study and other indiscretions. But 
by regular work in the gymnasium for a half or three- 
quarters an hour daily, or by a walk of three or four 
miles, the faithful student may be sure of keeping 
his body strong, his mind clear, and his rank near the 
head of his class. 



JOURNALISM. 91 



CHAPTER VII. 

JOURNALISM. 

It was a hundred and ten years after the first 
newspaper was published in America that, as far as I 
can discover, the first college journal appeared. In 
1800 the Dartmouth students issued a paper called 
" The Gazette," which is chiefly memorable as con- 
taining in 1802-3 numerous articles by Daniel 
Webster, then a graduate of one year's standing. 
They were signed " Icarus," a pseudonym at the time 
unacknowledged, but which a few years later Mr. 
Webster confessed belonged to himself. Yale, in the 
course of the present century, has had several jour- 
nals, the majority of which, for pecuniary and other 
reasons, have enjoyed but a short lease of life. The 
first was " The Literary Cabinet," an eight-paged 
fortnightly, whose first number appeared in 1806. 
The publisher announced that it was his " unalterable 
resolve to appropriate the pecuniary profits to the 



9 2 



AMERICAN COLLEGES. 



education of poor students in the seminary," but, 
unfortunately for the poor students, "The Cabinet" 
died in less than a year after its birth. It was fol- 
lowed by " The Athenaeum," " The Palladium," " The 
Students' Companion," " The Gridiron," and other 
papers which, failing each in turn to receive the liter- 
ary and pecuniary support of the students, seldom 
lived for more than a twelvemonth. But in 1839 was 
established " The Yale Literary Magazine," which is 
the oldest living, as it is generally recognized to be 
among the best, of college journals. It was and is 
issued monthly during the college year, and each 
number consists of about forty pages of the usual 
magazine size. Its table of contents is made up of 
essays chiefly upon literary and educational topics, 
of paragraphs called " Notabilia," and of brief notes 
upon Yale and its affairs, styled " Memorabilia Yalen- 
sia." This latter admirable department was established 
by Mr. D. C. Gilman — now president of the Johns 
Hopkins University — during his editorship. It is a 
daily bulletin, published monthly, of doings at Yale, 
written in a terse and graphic style, and is one of the 
most interesting features of an interesting college 
journal. Its five editors are usually considered the 
best literary men of the senior class, and an election 
to the "Lit. Board "is justly esteemed one of the 
highest honors of Yale life. In the course of its forty 



JOURNALISM. 93 

years, not a few of those who have won distinction by- 
literary and educational work have served an appren- 
ticeship on the " Lit." Secretary Evarts was one of 
the founders of the magazine, and Donald G. Mitchell, 
of Yale's class of 1841, Doctor J. P. Thompson, of 
1838, Senator O. S. Ferry, of 1844, President A. D. 
White, of 1853, and several others not less distin- 
guished have been among its editors. It is still an 
important factor in Yale life, and together with a 
similar journal published by the Princeton students, 
is usually regarded as of the best of college publica- 
tions of its type. 

At the present time Yale has, besides its " Liter- 
ary Magazine," two fortnightly papers, the " Courant" 
and the " Record." Edited by boards selected from 
and in part by the students, they are devoted to the 
discussion of college affairs and to the communication 
to graduates and the public of Yale news. 

Although Harvard's papers have been less numer- 
ous than Yale's, they indicate (considered as a whole) 
greater literary ability and have had greater influence 
on college opinion. The first, the " Harvard Lyceum," 
appeared in 18 10, with Edward Everett among its 
eight editors. It was a semi-monthly literary maga- 
zine, but had, Mr. Everett remarks in his "Autobiogra- 
phy," no permanent literary value. Dying a natural 
death before the close of the year, it was succeeded 



94 AMERICAN COLLEGES. 

in 1827 by the " Harvard Register," a monthly journal 
of both a serious and a humorous character. Among 
its editors were the late President Felton, George S. 
Hillard, who wrote over the name of Sylvanus Dash- 
wood, and Robert C. Winthrop, whose pseudonym was 
Blank Etcetera, Sr. But, like its predecessor, the 
financial and literary remissness of the students 
digged for it an early grave. In 1830 appeared the 
" Collegian," whose brief career is made historical by 
the contributions of Oliver Wendell Holmes, then a stu- 
dent in the Harvard Law School. Young Holmes wrote 
over the signature of Frank Hock ; and in the " Col- 
legian " appeared u The Spectre Pig," " The Dorches- 
ter Giant," " The Height of the Ridiculous," and other 
papers which have not been included in the standard 
editions of his works. The " Collegian " was, after a 
short life, buried with its fathers, and " Harvardiana," 
on which the founder of the "Atlantic," and the editor 
of the " North American Review " first employed his 
editorial pen, reigned in its stead. But Mr. Lowell's 
wit and wisdom were not sufficient for lengthening 
the " Collegian's " life beyond four years. About 
fifteen years after its decease, appeared, in 1854, the 
" Harvard Magazine." It lived with varying fortunes 
for a decade, and numbered among its editors several 
who have won distinction by subsequent literary work. 
Frank B. Sanborn and Phillips Brooks were two of 



JOURNALISM. 95 

the three members of its first board. But in 1864 its 
publication ceased ; and in May, 1866, the first num- 
ber of the " Harvard Advocate " appeared as a fort- 
nightly. For more than twelve years the literary taste 
manifested in the " Advocate's " editorial management, 
the brightness of its sketches, and the intrinsic merit 
and wit of its poetry have given it a pre-eminent place 
among college journals. In 1873 a rival appeared in 
the " Magenta," since changed, with the name of the 
college color, to the " Crimson ; " and these two 
papers are now pursuing in generous rivalry a most 
successful course of college journalism. 

Although few colleges have been as prolific in 
newspaper children as Yale and Harvard, yet the 
history of journalism at these two colleges represents 
in general its history at Princeton, Williams, Brown 
University, and the older colleges. But within the 
last decade the number of college journals has greatly 
increased. At the present time, it is estimated that 
at least two hundred papers and magazines, devoted 
to college interests and conducted by college students, 
are published. The usual pattern of the college jour- 
nal is a sheet of twelve pages, of the size of the 
"Nation," well printed on tinted paper, and published 
either fortnightly or monthly. It has a board of six 
or ten editors, elected either by the preceding board 
or by the students, or both, and its literary support is 



96 AMERICAN COLLEGES. 

derived from the members of the college as well 
as from the editorial pen. Its subscribers number 
about five hundred, and are usually equally divided 
between the college students and the graduates. 
Perhaps a few journals print a thousand copies, but 
so large a subscription list is rare ; and two hundred 
and fifty copies is as low a limit as is commonly 
reached. The usual price of a fortnightly is $2.00 
for the college year, and from the proceeds of its 
subscriptions and its advertisements it usually suc- 
ceeds in meeting the expenses of publication. But a 
college journal seldom is, as it is seldom intended to 
be, a source of pecuniary income. 

There are, however, certain peculiar developments 
in the history of college publications which deserve 
notice. One of these developments is the " Univer- 
sity Quarterly." The " University Quarterly " was un- 
doubtedly the most important venture, both in its 
intrinsic importance and in the high anticipations it 
awakened, ever undertaken in college journalism. It 
was a quarterly of two hundred pages started at New- 
Haven in i860 by Joseph Cook and other Yale men, 
and was intended "to enlist," says the author of 
" Four Years at Yale," " the active talent of young 
men in American, and so far as possible in foreign, 
universities in the discussion of questions and the 
communications of intelligence of common interest to 



JOURNALISM. 



97 



students." Made up of " news, local sketches, refor- 
matory thought and literary essays from all the prin- 
cipal seats of classical and professional learning," its 
chief purpose was to unite " the sympathies of academ- 
ical, collegiate and professional students throughout 
the world." Its management was vested in editors 
and correspondents chosen from the students of 
different colleges, and the board at New Haven, the 
place of publication, served as a sort of managing 
editor. At one time no less than thirty-three colleges 
and professional schools were represented by the 
" Quarterly," among which were,of the foreign universi- 
ties, those of Berlin, Halle, Heidelberg and Cambridge. 
But the difficulty of controlling so large and hetero- 
geneous a body of editors, and the breaking out of the 
war absorbing every bit of undergraduate enthusiasm, 
necessitated the " Quarterly's " suspension. The 
last of its eight numbers appeared in October, 1861. 
But in its brief career it was of much value in uniting 
the sympathies of different colleges and in communi- 
cating intelligence regarding the higher education in 
this and foreign countries. The interest taken in, 
and the amount of work done for, the journal by dif- 
ferent colleges was most diverse. Yale was undoubt- 
edly the most enthusiastic in its support, and about 
one-third of the literary matter was contributed by 
Yale men. Amherst also manifested much interest 

7 



9 8 



AMERICAN COLLEGES. 



in the " Quarterly," and of her students Francis A. 
Walker was a faithful contributor. Harvard gave 
comparatively little aid, but Mr. Garrison, now of the 
" Nation," was an efficient representative of the Cam- 
bridge college. The average edition of the " Quarterly" 
consisted of about fourteen hundred copies ; and it 
appears that its pecuniary affairs were wound up with- 
out loss to its conductors — a somewhat rare circum- 
stance in the death of a college journal. 

Another departure from the usual type of the 
college journal is representee in the " Harvard Lam- 
poon." The " Lampoon," is a college "Punch," issued 
fortnightly, of a dozen pages of letter-press and as 
many cartoons setting forth humorous scenes chiefly 
in college and social life. At its appearance in the 
spring of 1876, its pen and pencil were confined to the 
college, but at the opening of the academic year of 
1877-78, it enlarged its sphere; and for a year its 
purpose has been " to reproduce to the life the ' quips 
and cranks and wanton wiles' of the free-born 
American citizen as well as those of the typical stu- 
dent, so that wretches who never heard of Harvard 
will be able to smile at his jests and weep over his 
pathos. Whenever in future any question of such 
general concern as the. natural depravity of the Spitz 
dog or the sanitary efficacy of azure glass is endanger- 
ing the relations of parents and children throughout 



JOURNALISM. 99 

the land ; if the mayor of Boston becomes desirous of 
having the horse-cars as well the ferries free ; or the 
ladies of Washington seek to restrain Mehemet Ali 
Pacha from drinking ice-water when he accepts the 
hospitalities of the nation, — Lampy will have his little 
say on the subject, and his pen and pencil will not be 
idle." The success that has attended " Lampy's " 
effort, in view of the usual fate of American humor- 
ous journals, is good evidence of the excellence of its 
work. Many of its bon mots and verses have been 
exceedingly clever, and some of its cartoons are 
worthy of Du Maurier. It has been, as a whole, 
remarkably free from every feature open to objection 
in point of moral taste ; and by the general, as well 
as the college, press it has been constantly received 
with much favor. 

The purposes which the college paper accom- 
plishes in American college life are numerous and 
important. It is, in the first place, a mirror of under- 
graduate sentiment, and is either scholarly or vulgar, 
frivolous or dignified, as are the students who edit and 
publish it. A father, therefore, debating where to 
educate his son, would get a clearer idea of the type 
of moral and intellectual character which a college 
forms in her students from a year's file of their fort- 
nightly paper than from her annual catalogue or the 
private letters of her professors. To the college 



IO o AMERICAN COLLEGES. 

officers, also, it is an indicator of the pulse of college 
opinion. The discussion of all questions regarding 
the varied interests of the college — the dissatisfaction 
with Professor A 's method of conducting recita- 
tions, or with the librarian's new code, or with the 
advance in the annual price of college rooms — is sure 
to voice itself in the college paper. Indeed the spirit 
of rebellion among college men often flows out into 
ink, when, if they had no paper in which to relate 
their grievances, it would — as it now too often does — 
manifest itself in boyish mobs and " gunpowder plots." 
The college journal is, indeed, as a distinguished pro- 
fessor recently said of the paper of his college, " the 
outstanding member of the college faculty." 

But the paper reflects the moral and intellectual 
condition of its college, not only for the officers and 
patrons of its own college, but also for the members 
of other colleges. The Harvard papers, for instance, 
represent Harvard life to other colleges, just as 
American newspapers represent American life to 
Europeans. Each paper has a list of some fifty or 
sixty " exchanges," which, after being examined by 
the " exchange editor," are usually placed in the pub- 
lic reading-room for the use of the students. It is 
also the custom, to a considerable and a growing 
extent, for the best journals to devote at least a page 
to news from other colleges. These items of news 



JOURNALISM. I0I 

are usually culled from the " exchanges," but in some 
cases they are directly furnished by correspondents 
engaged for the purpose. The influence of college 
papers in thus promoting inter-collegiate friendship, 
and in exhibiting the methods of instruction and 
government, is of great service to the cause of higher 
education. 

Another important purpose which the college 
journal fulfils is in informing the graduate of the 
changes through which his alma mater passes ; it is 
a fortnightly letter from his college home. Its alumni 
column notes the chief events in the lives of all grad- 
uates ; and the whole paper helps to keep his college 
memories green. About half of the list of subscribers 
to many of the journals is made up of the names 
of graduates, and graduates not infrequently contrib- 
ute articles, especially upon athletic topics.- 

The college paper also serves as an admirable 
training school for professional journalists. Quick- 
ness of thought and of action, coolness of judgment 
and of purpose, and impartiality which Mr. Hudson, 
in his History of Journalism, suggests as the essentials 
of a good journalist, receive excellent discipline on the 
college editorial board. The college journal is the 
best school of journalism, outside of its own curricu- 
lum, which the college affords. The merit of their 
editorial work in college has won for not a few stu- 



I0 2 AMERICAN COLLEGES. 

dents, on their graduation, a position on the staff of 
a New York or Boston paper. 

The character of much of the writing in the best 
college papers is most praiseworthy. The topics are 
usually of immediate interest to the college world, and 
are treated with directness, perspicuity and consider- 
able energy of style. Written, as many of the articles 
are, under the pressure of college work, they indicate 
a clearness of thought and a facility of execution 
worthy, in certain cases, of experienced journalists. 
But in the college magazines, which are published 
quarterly or monthly, these excellences are not as 
marked as in the fortnightly or weekly journal. The 
subjects of the leading articles in the magazines sel- 
dom possess immediate interest, and the style is often 
labored and oratorical. In topic and treatment they 
are not dissimilar to the forensics and theses which a 
senior writes for his professor of rhetoric. But the 
editorial paragraphs in the quarterlies are clear, pointed 
and interesting. 

The wit and humor, also, that abound in the col- 
lege journals are of a most commendable and genuine 
character. College life, it is needless to say, is fer- 
tile, in comparison with business or professional life, 
in the ludicrous ; and many of the witticisms that ap- 
pear in the college papers are reports of the table- 
talk of an eating club, or of the happy retorts of a 



JOURNALISM. I0 3 

professor to a jesting student. Not a few humorous 
verses, also, bright and rollicking, have come from 
college pens. One of the earliest, as well as one of 
the best, parodies ever published in this country ap- 
peared in the " Harvard Lyceum," in the first years 
of college journalism. Joel Barlow's "Columbiad" 
was the object of its pleasantry ; and, written by Ed- 
ward Everett in 1810, it has both a literary and an 
historic interest. The following extract describes 
" the vexations of a person who finds in the midst of 
a dance, that his hose are swinging from their moor- 



" And while he dances in vivacious glee 
He feels his stockings loosening from his knee ; 
The slippery silk in mind-benumbing rounds 
Descends in folds at all his nimble bounds. 

****** 
Thy partner wonders at the change. No more 
She sees thee bound elastic from the floor ; 
No more she sees thine easy graceful air: — 
Each step is measured with exactest care." 

Of the many bright verses that have of late years 
appeared in the college papers, the following from the 
" Harvard Advocate" of May, 1870, are pre-eminent. 
They were written by Mr. Charles A. Prince of Bos- 
ton, when a Harvard student, and are addressed " To 
Pupils in Elocution : " 



I0 4 AMERICAN COLLEGES. 

" The human lungs reverberate sometimes with great velocity 
When windy individuals indulge in much verbosity, 
They have to twirl the glottis sixty thousand times a minute, 
And push and punch the diaphragm as though the deuce were 
in it. 

CHORUS. 

The pharynx now goes up ; 
The larynx with a slam, 
Ejects a note 
From out the throat, 
Pushed by the diaphragm." 

But, although the humorous side of college life is 
thus developed in the best of the papers, their moral 
character and influence are excellent. They are re- 
markably free from vulgarity. Slang, though not in- 
frequent in college conversation, seldom creeps into 
their columns. Their hatred of every species of sham 
and deceit is most marked. Their love for what- 
ever they regard as their own honor or that of their 
college is genuine ; and the respect they constantly, 
as a class, manifest for religion is a fit model for the 
imitation of certain daily journals. The college paper 
is, therefore, in respect to moral character, usually 
rather above than below the level of college sentiment, 
and its moral influence, therefore, is elevating. 

But to these excellent purposes and characteris- 
tics of the college paper are joined two evils which 
must be weighed in forming any just estimate of its 



JOURNALISM. I0 5 

worth and usefulness. The first evil is that the stu- 
dent's editorial duties are liable to exhaust his ener- 
gies, and thus to unfit him for his regular college 
work. Every college intends to provide her men 
with sufficient work to monopolize their time and 
strength ; if, therefore, the paper absorbs much of the 
student-editor's attention, he is compelled to neglect 
his Greek and mathematics. The evil of this course is 
obvious. It is the wellnigh universal experience that 
the continued neglect of the regular college studies 
for the sake of the college paper is seldom helpful, 
and is often disastrous, to scholarship and intellect- 
ual discipline. A college editorship is an excellent 
avocation, but a very bad vocation. 

The other danger to which the young editor is ex- 
posed is that of forming a faulty style. The rapid 
writing which he is sometimes compelled to do culti- 
vates superficiality of thought, and the necessity 
under which he often labors, of "filling up space," 
fosters bombast, slovenliness, and looseness of expres- 
sion. He is frequently placed in emergencies most 
opposed to the cultivation of that patient and painstak- 
ing habit of composition which it is the especial duty of 
a young writer to cherish. But neither this evil nor 
that of a neglect of college work is necessarily in- 
herent in college journalism; a wise discretion can 
avoid them. 



I0 6 AMERICAN COLLEGES. 

The college paper is essentially an American pro- 
duction. The German universities have no publica- 
tion of the sort, and the English universities of Oxford 
and Cambridge have no journal that precisely corre- 
sponds to the American college paper. The " Oxford 
and Cambridge Undergraduates' Journal " is devoted 
to the interests of the Oxford and Cambridge stu- 
dents, containing sketches of sermons preached in 
their pulpits, and reports of their scholastic and 
athletic affairs ; but it is both edited and published by 
those not connected with the universities. A few- 
papers are, however, issued by the English students. 
Their sphere is usually more restricted to the institu- 
tion whose name they bear than are the American 
college journals ; but in other respects they are not 
dissimilar. 



FELLOWSHIPS. 



10/ 



CHAPTER VIII. 



FELLOWSHIPS. 



College fellowships, or post-graduate scholar- 
ships, are primarily institutions of Oxford and Cam- 
bridge. The twenty colleges of which Oxford uni- 
versity is composed possess three hundred scholarships 
and nearly an equal number of fellowships. The 
purposes which a fellowship is designed to accom- 
plish, are chiefly four : it is a reward for high scholar- 
ship ; it serves as a ladder for the indigent student 
to rise by ; it is a recompense for the instruction which 
the fellow is required to give ; and the holders of fel- 
lowships form the governing board of the college. 
The scholars and fellows are elected, after a competi- 
tive examination, by the officers of the college, and 
retain their foundation for various lengths of time. 
An Oxford fellowship can, with few exceptions, be 
held for life ; but marriage, ecclesiastical preferment 
or accession to property of a certain amount usually 



I0 8 AMERICAN COLLEGES. 

compels him to surrender his foundation. At Cam- 
bridge, however, certain fellowships are held for a 
limited number of years, as those in Trinity College 
for ten, and those in Queen's for seven. An Oxford 
scholarship, too, can seldom be retained for more than 
five years. 

The annual income of an Oxford scholarship 
varies from £60 to ^125 ; but the average is about 
;£ioo. The annual income of an Oxford fellowship 
is, however, seldom less than ,£200 and seldom more 
than ^300. With an annual income of ^250,000 
(more than double the income of Harvard university 
in all its departments), Oxford University expends each 
year ,£35,000 in scholarships, and ,£90,000, in fellow- 
ships. 

The conditions under which the fellow enjoys his 
annuity are usually very few and liberal. He is at 
liberty to pursue almost any line of intellectual labor. 
In many cases his position is a mere sinecure, and 
involves no actual work. In other cases it is, and in 
all cases may be, most effectually used for the ad- 
vancement of the higher learning ; but too often the 
holder of a life fellowship at Oxford or Cambridge 
is a mere annuitant, and his attainments are of little 
service either to the university from which he annu- 
ally receives a thousand dollars, or to English scholar- 
ship and culture. 



FELLOWSHIPS. 



109 



Unlike Oxford and Cambridge, the German uni- 
versities have no system of fellowships. Each univer- 
sity is, however, possessed of a certain number of 
" exhibitions," ranging in value from sixty to three 
hundred dollars, for the benefit of needy students. 
Each needy student also avails himself of the two 
public lectures a week, which a professor is required 
to give, and is, in many cases, allowed to attend all 
the lectures without payment of fees. But to the 
student who has taken his degree and is still pursuing 
his studies, the German university has neither fellow- 
ship nor scholarship to offer. 

The pecuniary privileges which the American 
college offers its students for post-graduate study are, 
in comparison with those provided by the English 
universities, very meager. Of our three hundred 
colleges, Yale, Princeton, Harvard and the Johns 
Hopkins University are the principal ones that 
offer fellowships for the prosecution of advanced 
learning. 

Yale has six fellowships, or scholarships, the an- 
nual value of which ranges from forty-six to (at least) 
six hundred dollars. Two are of the larger amount. 
One fellowship is tenable for five years, but the 
others for not more than three. High scholarship 
and good character are the general conditions for ob- 
taining these honors ; and the prosecution of a non- 



HO A ME RICA N COLLEGES. 

professional course of study, as science, literature or 
philology, in New Haven, under the direction of the 
college faculty, is the general condition for retaining 
them. 

Princeton, which claims to be 4< taking the lead 
in encouraging advanced learning by means of fellow- 
ships/' now has six, with expectations of an early 
increase in their number and income. They are 
awarded by competition, which is open to any mem- 
ber of the graduating class, and are held for a single 
year. The fellow pursues his studies in either phi- 
losophy, science, mathematics, classics, history or 
modern languages, according as his fellowship is de- 
signed. The annual income of three of these founda- 
tions is six hundred dollars each, and of three, one-half 
this amount. During the last seven years, fellows 
have been pursuing advanced studies in philosophy, 
philology, and science, both at Princeton and at the 
English and German universities. The introduction 
of the fellowship system at Princeton is due in the 
main to the efforts of its president, Dr. McCosh. It 
is substantially the same system which he drew up in 
1 860-6 1 for the Scottish universities. " I have," he 
writes me recently, " only made a beginning, but 
a good beginning. We are really producing scholars." 

Harvard, like Yale and Princeton, has six fellow- 
ships, but of somewhat larger value than those of her 



FELLOWSHIPS. 

sister colleges Two have an annual income of about 
s,x hundred doHars and four of at least one thousand 
do liars each The latter are « traveling fellowships," 
and the holder, seldom remaining in this country, usu- 
ally spends the alloted period of three years in some 
German university. One of these fellowships, it is 
worthy of note, was founded in l8?1 by George Ban- 
croft A little more than sixty years ago, Edward 
Everett suggested to President Kirkland that "ft 
would be well to send some young graduate of Harvard 
to study for a while at some German university" 
The choice of the president fell upon young Ban- 
croft, who, then in his eighteenth year, proceeded at 
once to Gottingen. It is interesting to note that the 
founder of what is doubtless the most valuable fellow- 
ship m any of our colleges was the first Ameri- 
can who studied in a German university under the 
patronage of an American college. The election 
to a fellowship at Harvard, as at every American 
college, is a fitting crown to a successful colle-e 
course; and only that graduate of the college or 
professional school is elected to the honor whose 
scholarly attainments are conclusive proof of special 
aptitude for research in one of the branches of higher 
learning. The fellow, before his election by the 
academic faculty, suggests the department in which 
he wishes to study, and it usually proves to be that 



1 1 2 AMERICAN COLLEGES. 

in which by his college work he has become profi- 
cient. At the present time Harvard has fellows resi- 
dent both in Cambridge and in Germany engaged in 
the study of history, zoology, mathematics, the modern 
languages, and other departments of advanced knowl- 
edge. 

It is, however, the new university at Baltimore 
which offers the most generous encouragement for the 
pursuit of the higher learning. The Johns Hopkins 
University, with an endowment of three and a half 
millions, provides twenty fellowships, each of an an- 
nual value of five hundred dollars. They are be- 
stowed upon " advanced scholars from any place " for 
excellence in one of the ten departments of philology, 
literature, history, ethics and metaphysics, political 
science, mathematics, engineering, physics, chemistry, 
and natural history. The object of the foundation 
is, in the words of the trustees, " to give to scholars 
of promise the opportunity to prosecute further 
studies, under favorable circumstances, and likewise 
to open a career for those who propose to follow the 
pursuit of literature or science." The chief condition 
of the assignment, besides a liberal education and an 
upright character, is a "decided proclivity towards a 
special line of study." With these designs and condi- 
tions, the popularity of the scheme proved to be so 
great that at the first assignment in 1876 there were 



FELLOWSHIPS. II3 

one hundred and fifty-two applicants, representing for- 
ty-six different colleges. From this large number 
twenty were selected as fellows, who at once began to 
prosecute special studies under the immediate patron- 
age of the university. The fellowships are, as at 
present constituted, renewable to the same holder for 
successive years, and his progress is tested from time 
to time by the writing of a thesis, delivery of a lec- 
ture, or by some similar method. Its fellowship system 
has, like the university, been established for only two 
years, and its results are necessarily somewhat uncer- 
tain. But President Gilman writes, " the scheme is 
working admirably, and if I could tell you just what 
each one of the holders of fellowships is doing it 
would, I think, establish the wisdom of our founda- 
tions." 

The purposes which the fellowship system, as it 
is now being established in American colleges, is in- 
tended to serve, are the advancement of scholarship 
and the promotion of original thought and investiga- 
tion. A fellowship in an American college is not, 
as often it is in the English universities, a sinecure. 
It is not simply the reward for success in passing a 
series of examinations. It is not merely the ladder 
by which the student is to climb to distinction. But 
it is a privilege by the fit use of which he can advance 
the higher learning and enlarge the boundaries of 

8 



ii4 



AMERICAN COLLEGES. 



human knowledge. The fellowship allows the young 
graduate, possessing genius for a certain line of inves- 
tigation but not possessing the pecuniary means for 
his support, to pursue studies, the result of which 
shall honor not only him but also scholarship. It 
permits the penniless student, interested in philoso- 
phy, to pursue his philosophy, and the student of 
science to continue his chemical or zoological investi- 
gations. Without its aid the one would be obliged, 
for example, to devote his powers to professional 
studies for the ministry, and the other to medicine, 
professions for which each feels he is by nature unfit. 
The fellowship system, therefore, in American col- 
leges is the most direct aid to the higher scholarship 
and to culture. 

Although the system of fellowships at Oxford and 
Cambridge has not advanced English learning as it 
might and ought, yet the results it has achieved are 
of incalculable worth. The large majority of English 
scholars of distinction have for a longer or a shorter 
period pursued their studies with the assistance which 
a fellowship provided. Max Muller and Jowett, 
Rawlinson and Stubbs, Milman and Bryce, Mansel and 
the Newmans are among the hundreds of English 
scholars hardly less distinguished than they who 
have held, or still hold, fellowships at Oxford. Re- 
sults of equal and even greater excellence would 



FELLO WSHIPS. 1 1 5 

follow the general introduction of the system of fel- 
lowships into American colleges. 

For American wealth to establish fellowships in 
American colleges every inducement is presented. 
The founding of a new college at the west with a 
slender endowment may retard the cause of the 
higher education, but the establishment of fellowships 
at Harvard, Yale, Amherst, Princeton, Oberlin, or any 
well organized college, must greatly advance it. Hen- 
ry IV., Edward VI., Queen Mary, Elizabeth, and 
Charles I. established fellowships at Oxford. If only 
American wealth would follow such precedents, 
American scholarship might in the course of a gen- 
eration surpass English, and in the course of two 
generations, compete with German,scholarship. 

In the foundation and administration of fellow- 
ships in our colleges, however, the strict observance 
of certain rules is necessary to the attainment of 
their highest usefulness. It is the failure to observe 
the first two of the three following suggestions that 
has brought the English fellowship system into con- 
siderable disrepute among certain classes of English 
society. 

1. The fellowship should not be bestowed merely 
as a reward for high scholarship, but principally as the 
means for prosecuting original research in a compara- 
tively new department of study. 



r j 6 AMERICAN COLLEGES. 

It should seldom be held for more than three, or, 
at most, for more than four years. The progress 
which the fellow makes in this length of time enables 
him, with but little outlay of time or strength, to give 
instruction sufficient to provide for his pecuniary 
needs. The fellowship in such a case should at once 
be reassigned. 

3. If the fellow resides in Germany, as he usually 
will, he should be made a sort of corresponding mem- 
ber of his college faculty. The information which 
he could transmit regarding the educational move- 
ments occurring in the German gymnasia and univer- 
sities would prove of much service to American col- 
leges and American scholarship. 



CHOICE OF A COLLEGE. 



117 



CHAPTER IX. 

CHOICE OF A COLLEGE. 

The most important question concerning his 
education which the student decides before entering 
upon a collegiate course of study relates to the choice 
of a college. This question he decides sometimes in 
accordance with the preferences of friends, frequently 
from caprice, and often by the trivial reasons of the 
nearness of a college to his home or of the personal 
friendship of one of its professors. There are, how- 
ever, several principles of absolute worth which the 
student, selecting a college, may use as the tests of 
the excellence of a college. 

The first of these principles is the quality of the 
instruction which a college offers. That college 
whose instruction is the most thorough and critical, 
the most advanced in respect to the extent of the 
subjects studied, that makes the severest demands 
upon the student's mental strength and that arouses his 



! ! 8 AMERICAN COLLEGES. 

scholarly enthusiasm to the highest point is, so far 
forth, the best college. Such instruction attains most 
effectively the chief purpose of any scheme of educa- 
tion — the discipline of the mind. 

The second principle is the amount of the instruc- 
tion. If a college has a prescribed course, without 
optional studies, the amount of the instruction which 
it provides cannot influence the choice of the student, 
for this amount seldom varies from fifteen hours of 
recitations a week to each class. But if a college has 
an elective system the quantity of its instruction 
may seriously influence his choice. For the elective 
system greatly increases the number and extent of 
the studies which he may pursue. To the student, 
therefore, who wishes to take up a course of study 
most directly preparatory for a certain profession, or 
who is conscious of possessing an aptitude for certain 
departments of study the amount of the instruction 
forms a most important element of choice. The stu- 
dent, moreover, who on entering college is uncon- 
scious of possessing a particular fitness for a special 
line of intellectual work, will probably awaken by the 
close of his second year to the consciousness of this 
possession. To the large majority, therefore, of all 
men who are selecting a college, the amount of the 
instruction afforded, forms an important principle of 
choice. 



/ 



CHOICE OF A COLLEGE. 



II 9 



A third principle is represented by the moral and 
religious influence of a college. The peril of the col- 
legian is not that he will fail to have sufficient tempta- 
tions to resist to form a strong character, but that a 
torrent of them will sweep him into moral ruin. That 
college, therefore, of the purest moral and noblest 
religious atmosphere should, ceteris paribus^ be se- 
lected. 

Another principle is indicated in the expense of 
a college course. With the wealthy student this 
consideration has but little weight ; but with the 
poor it is frequently the most important factor in his 
choice. To him the question appeals in two ways : 
he may select a college the cost of whose education is 
small, but which affords no pecuniary aid ; or a col- 
lege the cost of whose education is relatively great, 
but which by its scholarships and beneficiary funds 
makes his expenses as small (or smaller) as at the 
former college. The decision between these two 
methods will, of course, be determined by other con- 
siderations than the pecuniary. 

The four principles of the quality and the amount 
of the instruction, of the moral and religious influence, 
and of the expenses of a college, the student, in his 
selection, should apply with critical exactness, and in 
accordance with the result of the application should 
generally make his choice. Yet there are other con- 



120 AMERICAN COLLEGES. 

siderations which do and ought to weigh in his de 
cision. 

Among these principles of minor importance are 
the reputation of a college, its location in respect to 
health, natural scenery and general society, the num- 
ber of its students, and the advantages it affords 
by means of fellowships for post-graduate study. 
The alumnus of an old and well-reputed college has a 
presumption in favor of the excellence of his educa- 
tion which the graduate of a new and unknown col- 
lege cannot enjoy. This presumption holds good till 
actual trial proves (as it ofttimes will prove) that the 
training of the latter graduate is superior to that of 
the former. The hygienic influences of the location 
of the vast majority of the colleges is excellent ; and 
the only elements of choice to be compared are the 
advantages and disadvantages of a residence of four 
years near the ocean or in the interior. But the 
natural scenery encircling the colleges is most diverse 
in beauty and picturesqueness. That surrounding the 
country colleges is of course more varied and sublime 
than that which can be enjoyed near or in the city. 
But in respect to society the opposite condition pre- 
vails. The society open to the student of the city col- 
leges is, as a rule, far superior to that afforded in 
country-college towns ; and the advantage of larger 
libraries, of art galleries, of music and the drama are 



CHOICE OF A COLLEGE. I2 i 

open to the city, but denied to the country, student. 
The size of a college should also qualify to some 
extent the choice. A college of several hundred 
students offers the most favorable opportunities for re- 
moving eccentricities of mental habit and of manners, 
and for obtaining the highest and most liberal point 
of view for judging all questions presented for consid- 
eration. It permits the student, as Bacon suggests 
in respect to travel, to " suck the experiences of 
many," which is impossible in a small college. Yet, 
as a class, the moral and religious condition of the small 
colleges is superior to that of the large. The society 
system and the system of athletic sports of a col- 
lege attract and repel students according to their 
proclivities ; and the advantages as well as the disad- 
vantages of each have been considered in preceding 
chapters. The system of fellowships, however, though 
introduced into only" a few colleges and into them to 
a very meager extent, should attract students. The 
opportunities they offer for advanced study both do 
and ought to draw the ablest men. 

By the application of these principles, especially 
of the four first named, the student can select his 
college with a high degree of certainty that his choice 
will prove satisfactory. As he applies these tests he 
will find that the quality of the instruction in the 
eastern colleges is better, as a whole, than in the 



1 22 AMERICAN COLLEGES. 

western ; and that of the former class the instruction 
offered by Yale, Harvard, Princeton, Williams, Am- 
herst, Dartmouth and Brown University is of pre- 
eminent excellence, and that, of the western colleges, 
the University of Michigan surpasses the vast ma- 
jority of her sisters in the worth of her teaching. 
Regarding the amount of the instruction greater cer- 
tainty may be attained than respecting its quality. 
Harvard offers more than twice as much instruction 
as any other college ; but the other prominent institu- 
tions present amounts very similar to each other 
for the choice of the student. The moral and relig- 
ious character of the college he will find exceedingly 
high at many of the western colleges, particularly of 
those which were founded and are fostered under direct 
Christian influences. In the east, the moral and re- 
ligious tone of Amherst and Williams is recognized 
as eminently pure. The question of expenses can be 
decided with a considerable degree of exactness. 
The cost of a diploma at a small college of the west 
is the least, and of one at Harvard, Yale, and Colum- 
bia the most. But to a poor man of brains Harvard 
may be the cheapest college, as its scholarship and 
other funds may pay his entire expenses. But to a poor 
man without brains Harvard is not, as its president 
is reported to have said at its commencement dinner 
in 1878, to be recommended. 



CHOICE OF A COLLEGE. 123 

The other principles of choice may also be applied 
with a considerable degree of precision. Touching the 
reputation of a college it is generally granted that 
the name of the University of Michigan, and of Oberlin 
stands as high as that of any college west of the Alle- 
ghanies ; and that Harvard and Yale occupy a similar 
position in the east. But the European reputation 
of the Cambridge college is the most extended. In 
regard to the attractiveness of natural scenery, it is 
usually conceded that the Berkshire Hills and the 
other beautiful scenery of western Massachusetts 
make Amherst and Williams facile principcs. Con- 
cerning the opportunities presented for general society, 
for the use of libraries, galleries of art and other 
means of asthetic enjoyment, the several colleges in 
the city of New York, Harvard and Yale present 
exceptional advantages. Respecting secret societies, 
it is probable the system plays as important a part in 
Yale, and as unimportant a one in Oberlin, Princeton 
and Harvard, as elsewhere. In regard to base ball 
and boating, Columbia, Cornell, Yale, and Harvard 
pay as much, if not greater, attention to t e sports 
as other colleges ; but for the care bestowed upon 
regular physical exercise in the gymnasium, Amherst 
is pre-eminent. In respect to fellowships the induce- 
ments presented for the choice of Harvard are the 
most attractive, as the Johns Hopkins University 



124 



AMERICAN COLLEGES. 



bestows its foundations upon other than its own 
graduates. But those offered by Princeton, Yale, and 
a few other colleges, are of considerable weight. 

These are the general results at which, it is be- 
lieved, the student, who is choosing his college, will 
arrive by the application of the several principles 
here outlined. The consequent arguments for and 
against his selection of an individual college he must 
weigh and balance against each other. Whatever 
his conclusion may be, he can with a high degree of 
assurance congratulate himself that, on his gradua- 
tion, he will believe his choice was precisely right, 
and that his alma mater has proved to be the college 
best fitted to his needs. 



RANK IN COLLEGE, ETC, 125 



CHAPTER X. 

RANK IN COLLEGE A TEST OF FUTURE DISTINCTION. 

That men of high scholarship in college seldom 
win distinction in professional life is a very prevalent 
opinion. To be a first scholar is, to many minds, 
equivalent to passing, after five years of midnight 
study, into the oblivion of a country parsonage. That 
" valedictorians are never heard of after leaving col- 
lege" is the sop which the friends of every dullard 
are wont to fling to his disappointed ambition on his 
commencement day. But, however widely this opin- 
ion may prevail, an examination of the records of 
scholarship in our colleges, and an inquiry into the 
college rank of those who have gained distinction in 
after life, indicate its groundlessness. 

The large majority of graduates who have become 
distinguished by the work of their life were, in col- 
lege, scholars of the highest rank. It is seldom that 
a scholar of low rank has succeeded in attaining great 



1 26 AMERICA N COLLEGES. 

eminence before the world. Of the graduates of Har- 
vard, during the first half of this century, who have 
gained renown, at least four-fifths ranked in the first 
quarter of the class to which each belonged, and two- 
fifths of this number ranked in the first sixth or the 
first eighth of the class. Indeed, the first ten schol- 
ars in a class of fifty or sixty, the usual size of Har- 
vard's classes in the first half of this century, have 
usually furnished more men of distinction than the 
remaining forty or fifty of a class. At Yale, nine- 
tenths of all the distinguished graduates, between 
1 8 19 and 1850, were either first, or among the first 
scholars of the class to which they belonged. Al- 
though the lists of those who received honors previous 
to 1 8 19 are not sufficiently accurate to allow a conclu- 
sion, yet during the thirty-one years for which data has 
been kindly furnished me by the secretary of the col- 
lege, a student who ranked low in college has seldom 
succeeded in attaining a high position in his profession. 
The twenty-five most distinguished men who gradu- 
ated at Amherst, between 1822, its first commence- 
ment, and 1850 were, with one or two notable excep- 
tions, excellent scholars. Not far from one-half of 
this number became professors, and the foundation 
of their success as teachers they laid in the hard work 
of four years of studentship. Although the statistics 
of scholarship at Dartmouth are not as full as at 



RANK IN COLLEGE, ETC. 



127 



either Harvard, Yale or Amherst, since during nearly 
forty years of this century positions were determined 
by lot, yet, so far as can be ascertained, those who 
compose the long list of her honored roll were schol- 
ars of exceedingly high rank. "Nearly all of them," 
the librarian of the college writes me, " so far as I can 
learn, gave promise of the future while in college." 
The statistics of scholarship at Bowdoin, from the 
graduation of its first class in 1806 to 1850, indicate 
the same conclusion. The most distinguished of its 
graduates have been, as a rule, among its most dis- 
tinguished scholars. 

The earliest won honors of those whose tastes are 
scholarly, and whose lives are occupied with scholarly 
pursuits, have usually been the college honors of high 
scholarship. Their college course has, in many instan- 
ces, proved to be a microcosm of their whole life. Lines 
of study started in college have ended only with their 
life ; and their success as students has foreshadowed 
their success as professors. Ex-President Woolsey, 
president of Yale College for a quarter of a century, 
and the whole of whose long life has been celebrated 
for its scholarly attainments, received the highest 
honors at Yale in 1820. President Eliot of Harvard 
was one of the first scholars of his class of 1853, and 
the scientific eminence to which he has since attained 
is foreshadowed in the subject of his commencement 



128 AMERICAN COLLEGES. 

oration, ''The last Hours of Copernicus." Presi- 
dent Porter was the third scholar of the class of 1831 
in the college which he has served for more than 
thirty years, as either professor or president. The 
president of Amherst was one of the first scholars of 
its class of 1853; and college tradition still tells of 
the rivalry that existed between Seelye and a class- 
mate for the first position in metaphysics. The late 
President Smith, of Dartmouth, under whose care the 
ancient New Hampshire college has been greatly 
prospered, was the third scholar of the class of 1830 ; 
and President Bartlett, recently inaugurated, was one 
of the first scholars of the class of 1836. Dr. Barn- 
ard, president of Columbia College, whose scientific 
renown is world-wide, received the second honors 
at Yale in 1828; and in the second year after his 
graduation his scholastic attainments were recognized 
in his election to a tutorship. Dr. James Walker, 
professor of philosophy at Harvard from 1839 to 
1853, and president of the college from 1853 to i860, 
was a leading scholar of the class of 18 14; and his 
successor, President Felton, attained high distinction, 
before his graduation in 1827, for his classical attain- 
ments. Ex-President Hill, also, was the second 
scholar of the class of 1843. Professor Bowen, the 
head of the philosophical department at Harvard, 
and a writer of recognized ability upon philosophical 



RANK IN COLLEGE, ETC, 129- 

and political topics, was the first scholar of the class 
of 1833. Professor Lovering, the head of the scientific 
department, the fourth scholar ; and Professor Torrey, 
the head of the department of history, was also a high 
scholar in the same class. Professor Benjamin Peirce, 
of Harvard's most distinguished class of 1829, was 
as conspicuous for his mathematical attainment 
among his college associates, as he now is among all 
contemporaneous scholars. The formation of the 
reputation which Professor Cooke enjoys in the 
scientific world was laid in his college course, and 
is foreshadowed in the subject of his commencement 
dissertation, " The alleged Irreligious Tendency of 
Scientific Studies." His colleague, Professor Child, 
the authority in regard to Chaucer on this side the 
ocean, was the most eminent scholar of the scholarly 
class of 1846 ; and Professor Goodwin, who is known 
by his grammatical works, even more favorably in Ger- 
many than in this country, was the salutatorian of Har- 
vard's class of 1850. The mathematical honors which 
Professor Loomis has constantly received since his 
graduation at Yale in 1830, he began to win in college, 
where his rank was third ; and his colleague, Professor 
Dana, occupied the fourth position in the class of 1833. 
To Dr. Leonard Bacon was assigned the same position 
in the class of 1820. The honor of attaining the high- 
est rank ever given at Yale College belongs, it is said, 

9 



130 



AMERICAN COLLEGES. 



to a member of the class of 1868, who is now a pro- 
fessor in the college. His average was, with 4 as the 
maximum, 3.71. 

At Amherst this honor belongs, for the period 
under review, to the late Professor H. B. Hackett, 
whose contributions to sacred literature place him 
among the most eminent of biblical scholars. His 
percentage for the whole course was ninety-seven and 
one-half ; and the class of 1830 honored him with its 
valedictory. The salutatorian of the class was the 
present professor of Greek at Amherst, W. S. Tyler, 
whose rank fell only one-half of one per cent below 
that of his successful rival. Professor C. A. Young, 
one of the most distinguished of our astronomers, was 
the first scholar in Dartmouth's class of 1853. The 
venerable Professor Stowe was a high scholar at Bow- 
doin in 1824, as was Professor Samuel Harris in 
1833 ; and Professor Ezra Abbott, now of Cambridge, 
was among the first scholars in Bowdoin's class of 
1840, and excelled his college peers in his knowledge 
of Greek, as he does still all American scholars in his 
knowledge of the Greek of the New Testament. 

These names may serve as representatives of 
scores of other equally distinguished scholars whose 
college honors were the foundation of more con- 
spicuous, but not more hardly won, distinction in 
after life. It is, indeed, difficult to find an eminent 



RANK IN COLLEGE, ETC. 13 r 

professor in any American college or school who was 
not in his student days an eminent scholar. 

Not only those, however, who have gained distinc- 
tion in scholastic and pedagogic pursuits, but also those 
who have attained eminence in literature, have been 
scholars in college of high rank. The most celebrated 
of our historians, essayists, poets, have, as a rule, 
been distinguished in college for excellent scholarship. 
George Bancroft was a high scholar in Harvard's 
class of 1 8 17, and was particularly distinguished for 
his attainments in the Platonic philosophy. His 
commencement part was an oration with the charac- 
teristic subject, " On the Dignity and Utility of the 
Philosophy of the Human Mind." He was also hon- 
ored with the class-day poetship of his class, which 
does not, however, indicate in itself high scholarship. 
Among the high scholars of the class of 18 14 was 
William Hickling Prescott, who delivered, as his com- 
mencement part, a Latin poem, " Ad Spem ; " and of 
the next class of 181 5, the historian of New England, 
Dr. Palfrey, was a distinguished member. The politi- 
co-philosophical character of his mind, which is mani- 
fested on every page of his incomparable history, is 
early indicated in the subject of his graduation ora- 
tion, " On Republican Institutions as Affecting Pri- 
vate Character." Like Mr. Bancroft, Dr. Palfrey was 
the class-day poet of his class. Though John Lothrop 



132 AMERICAN COLLEGES. 

Motley's college rank was not so high as Dr. Palfrey's, 
yet its excellence indicated, to a certain degree, his 
future eminence ; and his literary tastes are mani- 
fested in the subject of his commencement part, " The 
Influence of a Multiplication of Books upon Litera- 
ture." The cultured scholarship of Edward Everett, 
excellent in every department of college study, gave 
him the first place in the class of 1811 ; and his com- 
mencement oration, " On Literary Evils," and his 
oration for the second degree, " On the Restoration 
of Greece," forecast the literary and classical charac- 
ter of the work of his entire life. Though Ralph 
Waldo Emerson was by no means among the highest 
scholars of his class, yet his rank was most honorable. 
The infinities of the transcendental philosophy, how- 
ever, were not accommodated to Harvard's narrow 
curriculum of fifty years ago. His commencement 
part was a "conference" with two classmates, " On 
the Character of John Knox, William Penn, and John 
Wesley." Mr. Emerson was also the class-day poet of 
his class of 1821. Our great romancer, also did not 
succeed in obtaining a first-rate rank at Bowdoin, as 
did his class-mate, Longfellow. Hawthorne wrote, 
in his college days, Professor Packard, who was one of 
our instructors, informs me, " Fine Latin and English," 
but no commencement part was assigned him, " per- 
haps, because he requested not to have one." Mr. 



133 

George Ripley was distinguished at Harvard for his 
scholarship in the class of 1823, and delivered an ora- 
tion for his second degree on " The Claims of the Age 
on the Young Men of America," — claims which he 
has for the last fifty years done so much to fulfill. 
Mr. Longfellow was a high scholar in Bowdoin's 
most celebrated class of 1825 — the class of John S. C. 
Abbott, George B. Cheever, as well as of Hawthorne; 
and some of the most graceful of his graceful verses 
were written before his graduation. That long list of 
poems, dedicated to Harvard's class of 1829, with 
which, at their annual meetings, Oliver Wendell 
Holmes has delighted his class-mates, began on his 
class, and commencement, day. Doctor Holmes served 
as poet on both these occasions, and was as well an 
excellent scholar of the famous class. Though the 
course of William Cullen Bryant at Williams College 
was limited to two years, yet in them he gained dis- 
tinction for his attainments in the languages and in 
literature. James Russell Lowell, however, though 
the poet at Harvard in 1838, was not a high scholar, 
and received no part at commencement. The college 
curriculum of forty years ago was not the nurse of 
those qualities which make the commemoration ode 
immortal, and give his essays in literary criticism 
a pre-eminence which no other writing of the same 
character has yet attained in this generation. 



124 AMERICAN COLLEGES. 

Although the college rank of distinguished clergy- 
men has not been, as a whole, as high as that of dis- 
tinguished scholars and writers, yet, in most cases, it 
has been conspicuous for its excellence. Phillips 
Brooks was a high scholar of Harvard's class of 1855, 
and delivered as his commencement part a very char- 
acteristic dissertation on "Rabaut, the Huguenot 
Preacher." O. B. Frothingham was the salutatorian 
of the class of 1843 at Harvard, and was especially 
distinguished in Latin, Greek, and rhetoric. Dr. R. 
S. Storrs attained high scholarship in the class of 
1839 at Amherst ; and its valedictory was delivered 
by Dr. Huntington, who is now bishop of the diocese 
of Central New York. Dr. Buddington of Brooklyn, 
received the third honor at Yale in 1834; and Dr. 
Bellows and Dr. Samuel Osgood attained high rank in 
Harvard's class of 1832. Dr. Osgood was also the 
orator of the class. As the theological and ministe- 
rial methods of Henry Ward Beecher are exceptional 
to the methods of most clergymen, so his scholarship 
at Amherst was unlike the high rank to which most 
students, who are now distinguished ministers, at- 
tained. Mr. Beecher is undoubtedly the most distin- 
guished graduate of Amherst College ; but his col- 
lege rank is the lowest of any one who has become 
at all celebrated. His percentage for the whole 
course was fifty-eight. It is evident, however, that 



RANK IN COLLEGE, ETC. 



135 



those qualities of mind and heart which have made 
Mr. Beecher so prominent for a quarter of a century 
could find little opportunity for either employment or 
culture in the course of study of a small and new col- 
lege forty-three years ago. But his brother Edward, 
distinguished more by his books than by his sermons, 
received the highest honors at Yale in 1822. 

The great lawyers, too, in which our country has 
been more rich than in the members of any other 
profession, have won distinction in college for high 
scholarship. Rufus Choate, it is said, is one of the 
three men who, in the course of a hundred years, have 
graduated at Dartmouth with a perfect mark. The 
late Benjamin Robbins Curtis stood among the first 
scholars of Harvard's class of 1829 ; and in his com- 
mencement oration, " The Character of Lord Bacon," 
his judicial mind was afforded a worthy opportunity 
for weighing evidence. He was also honored with the 
oratorship of his class. Richard H. Dana, jr., was one 
of the high ranking scholars of the class of 1837 ; as 
was also Charles Devens, recently promoted from the 
Supreme Bench of Massachusetts to the Cabinet, of 
1838. Mr. Evarts, too, was one of the highest scholars 
of Yale's class of 1837. Nearly all those, in fact, who 
have used distinction gained at the bar as a stepping- 
stone to high political distinction, have been scholars 
in colleges of excellent standing. The two college-bred 



1 36 AMERICAN COLLEGES. 

men of the " great American triumvirate " gained very- 
high rank as students. Webster was one of the finest 
scholars in his class of 1801 at Dartmouth, probably 
ranking second ; and Calhoun of Yale's class of 1804 
attained the highest distinction. President Dvvight's 
opinion regarding his ability is indicated in the 
remark attributed to him, "That young man has 
talent enough to be president of the United States." 
Salmon P. Chase was a high scholar in Dartmouth's 
class of 1826 ; as was also Ebenezer Rockwood Hoar 
of Harvard's class of 1835. His brother, George F. 
Hoar, attained an honorable rank in that class of dis- 
tinguished scholars, that of 1846. Caleb dishing, 
too, who is distinguished for his scholarship as well 
as for his diplomatic and juristic attainments, was 
the salutatorian of Harvard's class of 18 14. Among 
the eminent scholars of the class of 1828 were George 
S. Hillard and Robert C. Winthrop who forecasting 
his long career of public service, delivered as his com- 
mencement part an oration on " Public Station." 
Charles Sumner was distinguished in college for his 
knowledge of history and of literature, ancient and 
modern, of which he was then, as during his whole 
life, a diligent student. His commencement part was 
a "conference" with three class-mates on "The Ro- 
man Ceremonies, the System of the Druids, the Re- 
ligion of the Hindoos, and the Superstition of the 



RANK IN COLLEGE, ETC. i$y 

American Indians." The only graduate of Bowdoin 
who has served as president of the United States is 
Franklin Pierce. He was one of the leading scholars 
of its class of 1824. William Pitt Fessenden, likewise, 
though very young when he received his first degree 
in 1823, indicated by his scholarship the eminence to 
which he afterward attained ; and George P. Marsh, 
a scholar as well as a statesman, was conspicuous for 
his scholarship at Dartmouth in 1820. 

From this examination of the records of scholar- 
ship in our colleges, and of the college rank of those 
who have become distinguished, the conclusion is in- 
evitable that the vast majority of the scholars, the 
writers, the clergymen, the lawyers, and the states- 
men who have gained distinction by the work of their 
life, have first won distinction in the college recita- 
tion and lecture room. This conclusion is substan- 
tially identical with that of Macaulay, which he ar- 
rived at by a similar examination of the records of 
scholarship at the university of Cambridge, and of 
Oxford : 

" It seems to me that there never was a fact proved by a 
larger mass of evidence, or a more unvaried experience than 
this : that men who distinguish themselves in their youth above 
their contemporaries almost always keep, to the end of their 
lives, the start which they have gained. This experience is so 
vast that I should as soon expect to hear any one question it 
as to hear it denied that arsenic is poison, or that brandy is in- 



138 AMERICAN COLLEGES. 

toxicating. Take down, in any library, the Cambridge calen- 
dar. There you have the list of honors for a hundred years. 
Look at the list of wranglers and of junior optimes, and I will 
venture to say, that for one man who has in after life distin- 
guished himself among the junior optimes, you will find twenty 
among the wranglers. Take the Oxford calendar, and compare 
the list of first-class men with an equal number of men in the 
third class. Is not our history full of instances which prove 
this fact ? Look at the Church or the Bar. Look at Parlia- 
ment from the time that parliamentary government began in 
this country, — from the days of Montague and St. John to those 
of Canning and Peel. Look to India. The ablest man who 
ever governed India was Warren Hastings ; and was he not 
in the first rank a Westminster ? The ablest civil servant I 
ever knew in India was Sir Charles Metcalfe ; and was he not 
of the first standing at Eton ? The most eminent member of 
the aristocracy who ever governed India was Lord Wellesley. 
What was his Eton reputation ? What was his Oxford repu- 
tation ? * * * The general rule is, beyond all doubt, that 
the men who were first in the competition of the schools have 
been first in the competition of the world." (Life and Letters 
of Lord Macaulay, ii., 289, 290, 291). 

But if Macaulay had been speaking twenty-five 
years later he would have added another yet more dis- 
tinguished name to the list of those whose distinction 
in school has been the forerunner of distinction in 
life. William E. Gladstone, after a most brilliant 
career at Eton, entered Christ's Church, Oxford, and 
graduated in 1831 with a "double first-class," the 
highest honor, and one seldom won ; but which was 



RANK IN COLLEGE, ETC. ^g 

twenty-three years before won by Gladstone's politi- 
cal father, Sir Robert Peel. Indeed, six of the seven 
members of a recent English Cabinet who sat in the 
House of Commons, who were educated at the uni- 
versities, were either " first-class," or "double-first 
class " men. 

It is not difficult to discover the cause of the con- 
dition by which those who are first in the struggle 
for college honors are first in the struggle for The 
honors of the world. These causes exist in the phys- 
ical, moral, and mental characteristics of the student, 
and in the beneficial results which flow from four years 
of hard mental labor. Good health is essential to the 
winning of success in both college and the world. 
The mens sana cannot be for a long time energetic 
and efficient unless placed in sano corpore. The suc- 
cessful student, like the successful writer, minister or 
lawyer, must in the first place be a good animal. 
Good morals likewise are a sine qua non of distinction 
in college and in after life. For, as renown is usually 
won only by continued hard work, and as the power to 
endure this strain of hard work is always weakened, 
if not destroyed by evil indulgence, few men of evil 
habits succeed in gaining distinction. The men of 
the highest intellectual distinction in this country and 
in England have been, at least in their student-days, 
men of pure moral character. College students, 



140 



AMERICAN COLLEGES. 



therefore, of evil habits are seldom first-rate scholars, 
and, unless shaking off these habits, seldom win dis- 
tinction in the work of their lives. Those qualities 
of mind, moreover, which serve to make great schol- 
ars serve also to make great men. The highest rank 
in college is seldom attained by a man of genius. A 
man of genius is, and can be, distinguished only usu- 
ally in one direction ; and, therefore, if in college he 
is a facile princeps in mathematics or philosophy, it is 
probable he is a dullard in Greek or physics. His place, 
therefore, on the scale of scholarship is seldom high. 
To this cause may, perhaps, be attributed the com- 
paratively low college rank of Ralph Waldo Emerson 
and of Hawthorne. As a rule, the highest scholars 
of any college class are men of excellent, though not 
of brilliant, ability. They have " good minds," talent ; 
but their only claim to genius is the power of study- 
ing ten or twelve hours each day. They preach and 
practice the gospel according to Carlyle — " the gospel 
of work." But this is the usual type of the mental 
ability of those who attain the highest distinction in 
any department of thought or study. The noblest 
reputations which have ever been gained in this coun- 
try or in England, in either scholarship, literature, 
ministry, law, medicine, or statesmanship, have usu- 
ally sprung rather from earnest and continued study 
than from natural brilliancy. The identical causes, 



RANK IN COLLEGE, ETC. I4I 

therefore, of good health, good morals and a good 
mind, lead to success in college and in the world. 

To the highest scholarship, moreover belong that 
mental discipline and those stores of acquired knowl- 
edge which are the foundation-stones of the temple of 
distinction. This mental discipline the highest schol- 
ar obtains in the greatest degree, and these stores of 
knowledge he acquires in the fullest measure. His 
preparation, therefore, for his professional work is 
superior to that of his class-mate of lower rank, whose 
mind is neither disciplined by so constant thinking, 
nor stored with knowledge so extended or profound! 
The start which he has gained in the beginning of the 
race, it is probable he will keep to its end. The stu- 
dent, indeed, who fails to receive in college the knowl- 
edge and the discipline of the highest scholarship, is 
usually obliged to supply the consequent deficiency 
by additional study before he can indulge the rational 
hope of distinguished success in his profession. The 
late Jeffries Wyman, our great professor of compara- 
tive anatomy, acknowledged this truth in regard to 
his own mental development. He received no com- 
mencement part in his class of 1833 at Harvard. 
But in the four years intervening between his gradua- 
tion and taking the degree of M.D. in 1837, an oppor- 
tunity was allowed for remedying the defects of his 
college education. Thus he fully prepared himself 



I 4 2 AMERICAN COLLEGES. 

to win the highest scientific honors. The conclusion 
is therefore evident that the causes which tend to 
make men first in the rivalry of college, tend also to 
make them first in the struggle for the honors of pro- 
fessional life. 

The reason of the prevalent error that first schol- 
ars usually fail in winning distinction after their grad- 
uation arises from making this induction from a too 
narrow basis of facts. The lack of that professional 
eminence which has failed to crown the life-work of 
certain valedictorians of the highest rank is undoubt- 
edly the principal cause of the error. It must, indeed, 
he granted that there are a few considerations which in- 
dicate that upon the heads of valedictorians should rest 
the blame of the prevalence of this error. For a high 
scholar, in order to be first, often yields to the tempta- 
tion of working for " marks " in a way that is disas- 
trous to the genuine culture of his intellectual power. 
In the competition of the world, therefore, he may fall 
behind his rival of the third or fourth rank, whose eye 
was set upon a higher prize than the rank list. A 
few valedictorians are, moreover, fond of flattering 
themselves that, since they have reaped the highest 
collegiate honors, their life cannot be without noble 
result even if producing no other fruit. This assur- 
ance is liable to result in a mental apathy which ren- 
ders high attainments impossible. But notwithstand- 



RANK IN COLLEGE, ETC, j^ 

ing these considerations, not a few valedictorians have, 
as has been indicated, won higher distinction in the 
work of their life than any of their class-mates of 
either high or low grade. 



APPENDIX. 



The statistics contained in the following Tables have been in the 
main obtained from the returns made to the U. S. Commissioner of 
Education for the year 1876-7. From the five or six hundred insti- 
tutions bearing the name of colleges the difficulty in selecting those 
whose merits entitle them to be so ranked has been very great, and it 
cannot be hoped that perfect justice has been done. Mr. Eaton's ar- 
rangement has been in general followed. Those institutions, how- 
ever, returning no students in the collegiate departments have been 
omitted. The list as it now stands embraces 311 colleges, four-fifths 
of which have connected with them preparatory departments. Of 
this number 170 admit both sexes on equal terms, 134 admit only men, 
and 5 women only. The whole number of students is 25,670, one- 
sixth of whom, as nearly as can be estimated, are women. 

As regards States they are distributed as follows : — 



States. 


c/5 

H 

u 


Students. 


State. 


u 


Students. 


Alabama 

Arkansas 

California... 

Colorado 

Connecticut 

District Columbia 

Delaware 

Georgia 


3 
4 
9 
1 

3 

4 

1 

6 

24 

16 

17 
6 

14 

4 

9 

8 

3 


316 
104 

831 

70 

856 

i5 2 

40 

488 

1538 
1267 
902 
167 
902 
54 
350 
644 

1777 
810 

154 


Mississippi 

Missouri 

Nebraska 

New Hampshire . 

New Jersey 

New York 

North Carolina . . 
Ohio 


4 
13 

2 

1 

4 
24 

7 
28 

4 
27 

1 

6 
18 

6 

2 

3 
9 


189 
821 
82 
249 
712 
2940 

383 
2220 


Oregon 


210 


Indiana 

Iowa 

Kansas 

Kentucky 


Pennsylvania .... 

Rhode Island 

South Carolina . . 
Tennessee 


2166 
219 

35 1 
1129 

169 




Vermont 

Virginia 


Maryland 

Massachusetts . . . 

Michigan 

Minnesota 


1098 


W. Virginia 

Wisconsin 


164 
689 


311 


25670 


Total 







(144) 



APPENDIX, 



145 



Sixteen religious denominations are represented in their manage- 
ment, among which they are divided as follows : 



Religious De- 
nominations. 



Non-Sectarian . . 

Methodist 

Baptist 

Roman Catholic . 

Presbyterian 

Congregationalist 



No. 



Religious De- 
nominations. 



Lutheran 

Christian 

Episcopal 

United Brethren 

Reformed 

Friends 



No 



Religious De- 
nominations. 



Universalist 

S. D. Advent . . . 

Evangelical 

Refor'ed German 
New Church 



No. 



Of the colleges now in existence, two date their foundation to the 
seventeenth century, and twenty-two to the eighteenth. The remain- 
ing two hundred and eighty-seven have been founded since the year 
1S00. The subjoined table gives the number of charters granted in 
each decade of the present century. 




Southern College Greensboro, Ala 

Howard College Marion, Ala. . . 

•University of Alabama. . . Tuscaloosa, Ala 

•Arkansas College Batesville, Ark. 

•Cane Hill College ,Boonsboro' Ark. 

*Judson University Judsonia, Ark. 

•St. Johns Col. of Arkansas Little Rock, Ark i8;o 

I Missionary College of St 
Ausjustine 



IBenicia, Cal. 



Admits both sexes. 



"o o3 


Religious 


as 


m 


25 


Denomina- 
tions. 


xi 
6 g 


6-2 


18^6 


M. E. So. 


7 


79 


"«43 


Baptist 


4 


77 


1820 


Non-Sect. 


10 


160 


1872 


Presb. 


T 


7S 


l8^2 


Cumb P. 


"> 


10 


1871 


Baptist. 


Q 


17 


1850 


Non-Sect. 


3 


2 


i86S, P. E. 


12 


62 



f Admits men only. 



2000 
1 100 
4000 

500 
30 

130 



600 
I Admits women only. 



pi t 






.. • • ■ . ■' .-;. 



146 



APPENDIX. 



Name. 



*Pierce Christian College. 
*University of California. 
■f St. Mary's College 



f Santa Clara College 

*University of the Pacific 
*Pacific Methodist College, 

*California College 

*Hesperian College 

*Colorado College. 



Location. 



Religious 
Denomina- 
tions. 



f Trinity College 

*Wesleyan University 

f Yale College 

^Delaware College 

*University of Georgia. 

*Atlanta University.. . . 

*Gainesville Male and Fe- 
male College 

fMercer University 

tPio Nono College 

f Emory College 

*Hedding College 

^Illinois Wesleyan Univers- 
ity 

^Blackburn University. . . . 

*Carthage College 

fSt. Ignatius College... . 

^University of Chicago. . 

^'Northwestern University . 

*Ewing College 

*Knox College 

^Lombard University 

*Illinois Agricultural Col- 
lege 

t Illinois College 

fSwedish American Ans 
gari College 

*Lake Forest University. . 

*McKendree College 

*Lincoln University 



College City, Cal. 
Oakland, Cal. . . . 
San Francisco, 

Cal 

Santa Clara, Cal. 
Santa Clara, Cal. 
Santa Rosa, Cal. 
Vaccaville, Cal. . 
Woodland, Cal . 
Color'do Springs, 

Colo 

Hartford, Conn. 
Middleto'n, Conn 
N. Haven, Conn. 
Newark, Del. . . . 

Athens, Ga 

Atlanta, Ga 



Gainesville, Ga. . 

Macon, Ga 

Macon, Ga 

Oxford, Ga 

Abingdon, 111 . . . 



1874 
1S6S 

1872 
1855 
1853 
1862 
1870 
1862 

1874 
1823 
1831 
1701 

1869 

178 

1867 

1877 

876 
836 



Bloomington, 111, 
Carlinville, 111... 
Carthage, 111. . . . 

Chicago, 111 

Chicago, 111 

Evanston, 111.'. . . 

Ewing, 111 

Galesburg, 111.. 
Galesburg, 111.. 

Irvington, 111. . . 
Jacksonville, 111. 

Knoxville, 111. 
Lake Forest, 111 
Lebanon, 111. . . 
Lincoln, 111. 



Christian. 
Non-Sect. 

R. C. 
R. C. 
M. E. 
M. E. So. 
Baptist. 
Christian 

Cong. 
P. E. 
M. E. 

Non-Sect. 
Non-Sect. 
Non-Sect. 
Non-Sect. 

Non-Sect. 
Baptist. 
R. C. 
Meth. 



1853 M. E. 



1850 
1857 
1870 
1870 
1857 
1851 
1874 
i3 3 7 
1859 

1861 
1835 

1875 



Meth. 

Presb. 

Luth. 

R. C. 

Baptist. 

M. E. 

Non-Sect. 

Non-Sect. 

Univ'list. 



Non-Sect. 



Ev. Luth 
Presb. 

S34 M. E. 

865 Cumb. P. 



17 
177 

103 

180 
59 
63 
20 

150 

70 

TO I 
lS.( 

571 
40 

IIO 
13 

73 
127 

57 
108 

43 

180 

76 

59 

94 

183 

19 

47 
27 

4i 

69 

4 

14 

129 

62 



* Admits both sexes. 



f Admits men only. 



I Admits women only. 



APPENDIX. 



H7 



Name. 



fEvangelisch-Lutherisches 

Collegium 

*Monmouth College 

♦Northwestern College. . . . 

f Augustana College 

tSt. Joseph's College. . . . 

*Shurtleff College 

*Westfield College 

*Wheaton College 

* Bedford College 

♦Indiana University 

t Wabash College 

♦Fort Wayne College 

♦Franklin College 

♦Indiana Asbury Univer'ty 

fHanover College 

*Hartsville University 

♦North Western Christian 

University 

*Smithson College 

♦Union Christian College 
♦Moore's Hill College. . . 
f University of Notre Dame 

Du Lac , ... 

*Earlham College 

*Ridgeville College 

fSt. Meinrad's College 

*Amity College 

f Norwegian Luther College 
♦University of Des Moines 

♦Parson's College 

♦Upper Iowa University... 

♦Iowa College 

♦Humboldt College 

♦Simpson Centenary Col- 
lege 

♦Iowa State University. . . 
♦German College 



Location. 



Mendota. 111. . . . 
Monmouth, 111. . 
Naperville, 111.. 
Rock Island, 111. 
Teutopolis, 111. . 
Upper Alton, 111. 
Westfield, 111... 
Wheaton, 111. . . . 
Bedford, Ind. . . . 
Bloomingt'n, Ind 
Crawfordsville, 

Ind 

Fort Wayne, Ind 
Franklin, Ind. . . 
Greencastle, Ind. 
Hanover, Ind. . . 
Hartsville, Ind. . 

Irvington, Ind. . 
Logansport, Ind. 
Merom, Ind. . . . 
Moore's Hill, Ind 

Notre Dame, Ind 
Richmond, Ind. . 
Ridgeville, Ind. . 
St. Meinrad,ind. 
College Springs, 

Iowa 

Decorah, Iowa . . 
Des Moines, Iowa 
Fairfield, Iowa. . 
Fayette, Iowa. . . 
Grinnell, Iowa. . 
Humboldt, Iowa. 

Indianola, Iowa.. 
Iowa City. Iowa. 
Mt.Pleas'nt,Iowa 



Qo 



1875 
1S57 
1865 
1S65 



1835 
1S65 
1S60 
1S72 
1828 

1833 
1846 
1844 
1837 
1833 
1851 

1854 
1S71 
1859 
1854 

1844 
1S59 

1867 



:S55 



1866 
1875 
1S57 
1S47 



1867 
1S57 
1873 



Religious 


a 




Denomina- 


% 


w <u 


tions. 


z B 




H 


w 


Luth. 


6 


26 


U. Presb. 


8 


13s 


Evang. 


6 


37 


Luth. 


8 


42 


R. C. 


8 


S8 


Baptist. 


6 


So 


U. Breth. 


8 


3Q 


Cong. 


M 


38 


Christian. 


s 


63 


Non-Sect. 


11 


T 34 


Presb. 


12 


104 


M. E. 


8 


17 


Baptist. 


4 


is 


M. E. 


13 


361 


Presb. 


11 


34 


U. Breth. 


6 


56 


Christian. 


10 


84 


Univ'list. 


6 


IS 


Christian. 


6 


S2 


M. E. 


5 


26 


R. C. 


7 


200 


Friends. 


6 


48 


F. W. B. 


s 


20 


R. C. 


8 


38 


Non-Sect. 


4 


52 


Ev. Luth. 


8 


77 


Baptist. 


S 


21 


Presb. 


7 


23 


M. E. 


7 


3° 


Cong. 


IS 


54 


Non-Sect. 


2 


10 


M. E. 


16 


6q 


Non-Sect. 


16 


167 


M. E. 


4 


IO 



* Admits both sexes. 



f Admits men only. 



X Admits women only. 



148 



APPENDIX. 



Name. 



*Iowa Wesleyan Univers'ty 

*Cornell College 

*Oskaloosa College 

*Penn College 

*Central University of Iowa 
*Tabor College 

* Western College 

tSt. Benedict's College.. . . 
: ' Baker University 

*Highland University 

^University of Kansas. . 
*Lane University 

* Washburn College 

fSt. Joseph's College 

*Berea College 

fCecilian College 

fCentre College 

*Eminence College 

t Kentucky Military Insti- 
tute. 

fGcorgetown College 

Kentucky University. . . . 
Kentucky Wesleyan Uni- 
versity 

*Murray Male and Female 
Institute 

*Concord College 

f Central University 

f Bethel College 

fSt. Mary's College 

^Louisiana State Univer'ty 

fSt. Charles College 

{Centenary College of 
Louisiana 

*New Orleans University. . 

tBowdoin College 

*Bates College 



Location. 



Mt.Pleas'nt,Iowa 
Mt. Vernon, Iowa 
Oskaloosa, Iowa. 
Oskaloosa, Iowa 

Pella, Iowa 

Tabor, Iowa. . . . 
Western College, 

Iowa 

Atchison, Kans.. 
Baldwin City, 

Kans 

Highland, Kans. 
Lawrence, Kans. 
Lecompton,Kans 
Topeka, Kans. . . 
Bardstown, Ky. 

Berea, Ky 

Cecilian juncti'n, 

Ky 

Danville, Ky. . . . 
Eminence, Ky. . 

Farmdale, Ky. . . 
Georgetown, Ky. 
Lexington, Ky. . 

Millersburg, Ky 



Murray, Ky 

New Liberty, Ky 
Richmond, Ky . . 
Russellville, Ky. 
St. Mary's, Ky. . 
Baton Rouge, La 
Grand Coteau,La 



Jackson, La 

New Orleans, La 
Brunswick, Me. . 
Lewiston, Me. . . 



a 2 



i8„ 

1857 
1856 
1866 

1853 
1866 

1856 
1868 

1857 
185S 

1864 
1862 
1S65 
1824 
1865 



1819 
1856 

1846 
1829 
1S5S 

i860 

1870 

1S68 

1873 

1856 

1837 
1852 

1825 
1873 
1794 
1863 



Religious 
Denomina- 
tions. 



Meth. 

M. E. 

Christian. 

Friends. 

Baptist. 

Cong. 

U. Breth. 
R. C. 

M. E. 

Presb. 

Non-Sect. 

U. Breth. 

Cong. 

R. C. 

Cong. 

R. C. 
Presb. 

Christian. 

Non-Sect. 
Baptist. 



M. E. So. 

Non-Sect. 
Baptist. 
Presb. S. 
Baptist. 
R. C. 
Non-Sect. 
R. C. 



M. E. 
M. E. 

Cong. 
F. W. 



So. 



B. 



55-3 
m 



135 17500 
116 5000 



* Admits both sexes. f Admits men only. J Admits women only. 



1 



APPENDIX. 



149 



Name. 



Location. 



o oi 



Religious 


% 


c 


Denomina- 


g 


6-2 


tions. 


* « 


K-3 




H 


w 


Baptist. 


8 


109 


Non-Sect. 


9 


5* 


Non-Sect. 


2Q 


3S 


R. C. 


9 


121 


Non-Sect. 


3 


27 


R. C. 


17 


21 


R. C. 


12 


200 


Non-Sect. 


1 


108 


M. Prot. 


12 


74 


Cong. 


20 


320 


R. C. 


4 


5° 


M. E. 


13 


105 


Non-Sect. 


42 


821 


Non-Sect. 


12 


31 


Univ'list. 


11 


93 


Non-Sect. 


24 


76 


Cong. 


11 


IQI 


R. C. 


8 


88 


M. Prot. 


10 


8S 


M. E. 


10 


Si 


Non-Sect. 


34 


355 


S. D. Ad. 


12 


74 


F. W. B. 


20 


100 


Ref. D'ch. 


7 


20 


Baptist. 


8 


% 


Co. & Pr. 


13 


Ev. Luth. 


6 


27 


Non-Sect. 


«S 


107 


Cong. 


11 


20 


Baptist. 


5 


60 


Meth. 


3 


44 



3 ^ 



♦Colby University 

f St. John's College 

f Johns Hopkins Univer'ty. 

t Loyola College 

f Washington College 

fRock Hill College 

fSt. Charles College 



1820 
1784 
1867 
1853 



t Frederick College 

♦Western Maryland College 

t Amherst College 

fBoston College 

*Boston University College 

of Liberal Arts 

f Harvard College 

|Smith College 



Waterville, Me. 
Annapolis, Md. 
Baltimore, Md. 
Baltimore, Md . , 
Chestertown, Md'1782 
Ellicott City, Md'11865 
NearEllicottCitvJ 

Md ,1830 

Frederick, Md .1763 
Westminist'r,Md] 1868 
Amherst, Mass.. 1825 
Boston, Mass. . . 1863 



;86 9 



f Tuft's College 

JWellesley College, 
f Williams College. . 



fCollege of the Holy Cross 

*Adrian College 

♦Albion College 

♦University of Michigan. . . 
♦Battle Creek College 



i6qo 



1871 



Boston, Mass . . 
Cambridge, Mass 
North ampt o n, 

Mass 

Coll'geHill,Mass'i852 
Wellesley, Mass. 1875 
Williams t own, 

Mass '1793 

Worcester, Mass. 1 186; 



♦Hillsdale College. 
fHope College. . . . 



♦Kalamazoo College 

♦Olivet College 

t Augsburg Seminary,Greek 

Department 

♦University of Minnesota.. 



♦Carlton College 
f Mississippi College. 
♦Shaw University. . . 



Adrian, Mich. . . 
Albion, Mich. . . . 
Ann Arbor, Mich 
Battle Creek, 

Mich 

Hillsdale, Mich. . 
Holland City, 

Mich 

Kalamazoo, Mich 

Olivet, Mich 

Minn eapolis, 

Minn 

Minneap olis, 

Minn 

Northfield, Minn 
Clinton, Miss. . . 
Holly Springs, 

Miss 



1S59 

186 

1836 

1S74 
1S55 

1866 
1855 
1859 

1874 

186S 
1866 
1850 

1870 



12778 
5000 
5000 

20000 
1400 
5050 

4100 
3000 



31793 
8000 



13000 

17652 

1 1000 

300 

1000 

23500 



5000 

3000 
3050 
5048 



0000 
2840 
2000 

300 



* Admits both sexes. 



f Admits men only. 



\ Admits women only. 



150 



APPENDIX. 



Name. 



^University of Mississipp 

*Alcorn University 

^Christian University.. . 
*University of the State of 

Missouri 

^Central College 

Westminister College. . . . 

*Lincoln College 

*Thayer College 

f William Jewell College.. . 

^Baptist College 

fChristian Brothers' Col 

lege 

fSt. Louis University 

*W ashington University. . . 

*Drury College 

^Central Wesleyan College, 

*Doane College 

^University of Nebraska.. 

t Dartmouth College 

f St. Benedict's College. . . . 
fRutger's College 



Location. 



fCollege of New Jersey. .. . 

tSeton Hall College 

*Alfred University 

fSt. Bonaventure's College 

|St. Stephen's College 

| Wells College 

f Brooklyn Collegiate and 
Polytechnic Institute. . 

tSt. Francis College 

f Canisius College 

fSt. Joseph's College 

*St. Lawrence University. . 
JElmira Female College.. . 

f Hamilton College 

f St. John's College 

tHobart College 

f Madison University 



Oxford, Miss. .. . 
Rodney, Miss. . . 
Canton, Mo 



Columbia, Mo.. 

Fayette, Mo 

Fulton, Mo 

Greenwood, Mo. 
Kidder, Mo.. 
Liberty, Mo. . . 
Louisiana, Mo. . 

St. Louis, Mo. . . 
St. Louis, Mo.. 
St. Louis, Mo.. . 
Springfield, Mo. . 
Warrenton, Mo. . 
Crete, Nebr.. . . 
Lincoln, Nebr.. 
Hanover, N. H. . 
Newark, N. J. . . 
New Brunswick, 

. N. J 

Princeton, N. J.. 
S. Orange, N. J. . 
Alfred, N. Y. . . . 
Allegany, N. Y... 
Annandale, N.Y. 
Aurora, N. Y. ... 

Brooklyn, N. Y.. 
Brooklyn, N. Y.. 
Buffalo, N. Y.. . . 
Buffalo, N.Y... 
Canton, N.Y... 
Elmira, N. Y . . . 
Clinton, N. Y.. . 
Fordham, N.Y.. 
Geneva, N. Y. . . 
Hamilton, N. Y.. 



° 8 
■2J-E 

Of 



1844 

1871 
1853 

1839 
1855 

1853 

1870 
1863 
1849 
1869 

1855 
1832 

1853 
187 
1865 
1872 

187 

1769 



1770 
1746 
1861 
1857 
IS75 

[860 
1868 

854 



Religious 
Denomina- 
tions. 



1856 
1855 
1812 
1846 
1822 
1846 



Non-Sect. 
Non-Sect. 
Christian. 

Non-Sect. 
M. E. So. 
Pres. So. 
Un. Pres. 
Cong. 
Baptist. 
Baptist. 

R. C. 
R. C. 

Non-Sect. 
Cong. 
M. E. 

Cong. 

Non-Sect. 
Non-Sect. 
R. C. 

Reformed. 

Presb. 

R. C. 

S. D. Bap. 

R. C. 

P. E. 

Presb. 

Non-Sect. 
R. C. 
R. C. 
R. C. 
Univ'list. 
Presb. 
Presb. 
R. C. 
P. E. 
Baptist 



o a 



117 

140 

100 

:■>? 
12 

no 

40 

33 
54 
69 

59 
68 

7 

75 
249 

34 



461 

97 
116 

69 

60 
66 

148 

85 

121 
12 
47 
4^ 

152 
27 
5 1 
85 



* Admits both sexes. 



f Admits men only. 



% Admits women only. 



APPENDIX. 



5* 



Name. 



^Cornell University , 

f College of the City of N.Y 
fCollege of St. Franci; 

Xavier 

t Columbia College 

tManhattan College 

f University of the City of 

New York 

JVassar College 

-[University of Rochester 
f Union College 



Location. 



*Syracuse University 

f University of North Caro 

lina 

f Davidson College 



f North Carolina College. 



f Trinity College 

f Wake Forest College. . . . 

f Weaverville College 

*Wilson College 

*Ohio University. 

*Baldwin University 

*German Wallace College.. 

|St. Xavier College 

*University of Cincinnati.. 
^Farmers' College of Ham- 
ilton County-. . . 

*Ohio Wesleyan University 

f Kenyon College 

fDenison University 

*Hiram College 

^Western Reserve College. 

f Marietta College 

*Mt. Union College 

*Muskingum College 



*Oberlin College 



Ithaca, N. Y. 
New York. . . 



New York 

New York 

New York 

New York 

Po'keepsie, N.Y. 
Rochester, N.Y. 
Schenectady, N. 

Y 

Syracuse, N. Y. . 
Chapel Hill, N 

C 

DavidsonColPge, 

N. C 

Mount Pleasant, 

N. C 

Trinity, N. C. . . 
Wake Forest, N. 

C 

Weaverville, N.C 
Wilson, N. C . . 
Athens, Ohio... . 

Berea, Ohio 

Berea, Ohio 

Cincinnati, Ohio. 
Cincinnati, Ohio. 

College Hill,Ohio 
Delaware, Ohio. . 
Gambier, Ohio. . 
Granville, Ohio.. 
Hiram, Ohio. . . . 
Hudson, Ohio. . . 
Marietta, Ohio. . 
Mt. Union, Ohio 
New Concord, 

Ohio 

Oberlin, Ohio. . . 



1S6 
1866 

1861 

1754 
1863 

1830 
1S61 
18150 



1795 
1870 

1789 

1S37 
1859 



1S35 
1873 

1872 



Religious 
Denomina- 
tions. 



Non-Sect. 
Non-Sect, 

R. C. 

Non-Sect. 
R. C. 

Non-Sect. 
Non-Sect. 
Baptist. 

Non-Sect. 
M. E. 

Non-Sect. 

Presb. 

Luth. 
M. E. So. 

Baptist. 
Non-Sect. 
Non-Sect. 
S04! Non-Sect. 
1856 
1864 
842 



1S70 

1852 
1842 
1824 
1832 
1S67 
1826 
1835 
1S5S 

1837 
«8 3 4 



M. E. 
M. E. 
R. C. 

Non-Sect. 

Non-Sect. 

M. E. 

P.E. 

Baptist. 

Disciples. 

Non-Sect. 

Non-Sect. 

Non-Sect. 

Non-Sect. 
Cong. 







O % 


d 2 


'A? 


z $ 


H 


in 


40 


304 


34 


388 


9 


105 


17 


194 


44 


108 


66 


S2 


18 


20^; 


8 


163 


20 


I6 S 


11 


176 


9 


56 


6 


74 


6 


2 4 


5 


95 


6 


53 


4 
9 


3 3 
48 


4 


46 


8 


66 


5 


70 


19 


54 


10 


88 


9 


29 


11 


141 


6 


5i 


7 


59 


7 


18 


7 


72 


9 


75 


21 


3*3 


5 


3° 


12 


33 2 



* Admits boh stxeas. 



f Admits men only. 



I Admits women only 



152 



APPENDIX. 



Name. 



*McCorkle College 

*One-Study University. . . . 

*Wittenberg College 

*Heidelberg College 

tUrbana University 

*Otterbein University 

*Geneva College 

*Willoughby College..-. . . . 

Wilmington College 

^University of Wooster. . . 
*Wilberforce University. . . 

*Xenia College 

*Antioch College 

*University of Oregon. . . . 

*Pacific University and 
Tualatin Academy.. . . 

*Christian College 

*Philomath College 

t Muhlenberg College ..,. 
*Lebanon Valley College. . 

f Dickinson College 

Lincoln University 

f Lafayette College 

fUrsinus College 

tPennsylvania College 

*Thiel College 

fHaverford College 

*Monongahela College. . . . 
f Franklin and Marshall 

College 

f St. Vincents College 

f University at Lewisburg. 

* Allegheny College 

*Mercersburg College 

t Palatinate College 

*New Castle College 

^'Westminster College 



Location. 



Sago, Ohio . . , 
Scio, Ohio. . . . 
Springfield, Ohio 

Tiffin, Ohio 

Urbana, Ohio.. . 
Westerville,Ohio 
W. Geneva, Ohio 
Willoughby,Ohio 
Wilmingt'n,Ohio 
Wooster, Ohio . 
Xenia, Ohio . . . 
Xenia Ohio. . . . 
Yellow Springs, 

Ohio 

Eugene City, 

Oreg 

Forest Grove, 

Oreg 

Monmouth, Oreg 
Philomath, Oreg 
Allentown, Pa. . 

Annville, Pa 

Carlisle, Pa.... 
Chester County, 

Pa 

Easton, Pa 

Freeland, Pa. . . 
Gettysburg, Pa. . 
Greenville, Pa . . 
Haverford, Pa. . 
Jefferson, Pa. . . 

Lancaster, Pa. . . 
Near Latrobe,Pa 
Lewisburg, Pa . . 
Meadville, Pa . . 
Mercerburg, Pa. 
Myerstown, Pa. . 
New Castle, Pa. 
New Wilmington, 
Pa 



Qu 



1S73 
1866 
1844 
1850 
1850 
1849 

1853 
1S58 

1875 
1866 
1863 
1850 

1S52 

1876 

1854 
1865 
1S67 
1S67 
1867 
1783 

854 
1826 

869 
1832 
1870 

1833 

1S67 



8 70 
1846 
1817 
1865 
186S 
1875 

l8?2 



Religious 


U3 


en 


Denomina- 


n $ 


0^3 


tions. 


Z/" 


fc-2 




H 


en 


P. (asso.) 


2 


13 


M. E. 


4 


82 


Ev. Luth. 


7 


So 


Reformed. 


6 


90 


New C'h. 


S 


12 


U. Breth. 


6 


67 


Ref. Pres. 


S 


44 


Meth. 


6 


33 


Friends. 


4 


iq 


Presb. 


11 


16s 


Af. M. E. 


7 


7 


M. E. 


7 


76 


Non-Sect. 


6 


3° 


Non-Sect. 


3 


85 




S 


6 


Christian. 


4 


70 


U. Breth. 


4 


4° 


Luth. 


6 


48 


U. Breth. 


5 


84 


M. E. 


6 


68 


Presb. 


10 


73 


Presb. 


27 


183 


Ref. Ger. 


6 


4 1 


Luth. 


10 


70 


Luth. 


S 


21 


Friends. 


7 


42 


Baptist. 


6 


9 


Reformed. 


8 


68 


R. C. 


39- 


122 


Baptist. 


8 


66 


M. E. 


.12 


66 


Reformed. 


12 




Reformed. 


9 


IS 


Non-Sect. 


13 


76 


U. Presb. 


8 


115 



* Admits both sexes. 



t Admits men only. 



| Admits women only. 



APPENDIX. 



153 







<u 


Religious 


"J3 


c 


is 


Name. 


Location. 


d> S-i 


Denomina- 


A % 


6V. 






Qu 


tions. 


*£ 


in 


f La Salle College 


Philadelphia, Pa. 


1863 


R. C. 


18 


no 


5000 


fSt. Joseph's College 


Philadelphia, Pa. 


1852 


R. C. 


11 


166 


2400 


f University of Pennsyl- 
















Philadelphia, Pa. 
Pittsburg, Pa... 


1755 
1819 


Non-Sect. 
Non-Sect. 


15 

11 


57 


2O00O 


fWestern University of 
Pennsylvania 


2S00 


fThe Lehigh University . . 


South Bethle- 
hem, Pa 


186s 


P. E. 


14 


in 




*Swarthmore College 


Swarthmore, Pa.. 


1864 


Friends. 


12 


^7 


2500 


fAugustinian College of St. 














Thomas of Villanora. 


Villanora, Pa . . . 


1848 


R. C. 


2 


b u 


6000 


f Washington and Jefferson 








8 






College 


Washington, Pa. 


1802 


Presb. 


Mb 


2100 


* Waynesburg College 


Waynesburg, Pa 


1850 


Cumb. P. 


12 


9 b 


400 


f Brown University 


Providence, R. I. 


i 7 b 4 


Baptist. 


16 


219 


46000 


-(-College of Charleston 


Charleston, S. C. 


1785 


Non-Sect. 


5 


3^ 


8000 


f University of South Caro- 
















Columbia, S. C. 


1801 


Non-Sect. 


11 


89 


28000 




Due West, S. C. 
Greenville, S. C. 


1841 
1850 


Ass. R. P. 
Baptist. 


5 
5 


44 
73 


Ssoo 


Furman University 


2000 


fWofford College 


Spartanburg,S.C 
Walhalla, S. C. 


i8si 


M. E. So. 


7 


74 


1500 


fNewburv College. . 


1858 


Ev. Luth. 


5 


35 


5500 


*East Tennessee Wesleyan 
















Athens, Tenn. . . 
Beech Grove, 


1807 


M. E. 


b 


100 


1000 


*Beech Grove College. . , . . 






Tenn 


1809 


Non-Sect. 


5 


3 2 




fSouth Western Presby- 










65 




terian University 


Clarksville, Tenn 


1875 


Presb. S. 


7 


1000 


•'Hiwassee College 


1 HiwasseeCoIl'ge, 












*Greeneville and Tusculum 


Tenn ....... 


18150 


M. E. So. 






1522 




Home, Tenn 


1794 


Non-Sect. 


10 

6 

5 


22 


6000 


-[•Southwestern Baptist Uni- 






Jackson, Tenn. . 
Lebanon, Tenn. 


1874 
1842 


Baptist. 
Cumb. P. 


79 

5° 




fCumberland University.. 


3000 


*Bethel College 


McKenzie, Tenn 
McKenzie, Tenn 


1847 
1871 


Cumb. P. 
Non-Sect. 


4 
6 


95 
63 


398 


*McKenzie College 


520 


*Manchester College 


Manchest'r,Tenn 


i8sb 


Non-Sect. 


3 


35 




*Maryville College 


Maryville, Tenn. 


1842 


Presb. 


6 


27 


3000 


t Christian Brothers' Col- 
















Memphis, Tenn 


1872 


R. C. 


11 


61 


2500 







* Admits both sexes. 



f Admits men only. 



J Admits women only, 



154 



APPENDIX. 







^ ni 


Religious 


^5 « 




<§£ 


Name. 


Location. 


0) -£ 

Q5 


Denomina- 
tions. 


6% 


ID. 


C J2 


*Mosheim Male and Fe- 














male Institute 


Mosheim, Tenn. 


1871 


Luth. 


3 


3° 


250 


| Mossy Creek Baptist Col- 


Mossy Creek, 












lege 


Tenn 


tX^ 


Baptist. 


4 


40 




^Central Tennessee College 


Nashville, Tenn. 


1S66 


M. E. 


8 


4 


2000 


*Fisk University 


Nashville, Tenn. 


1867 


Non-Sect. 


S 


11 


1300 


fVanderbilt University 


Nashville, Tenn. 


187s 


M. E So. 


13 


175 


6500 


fUniversity of the South. . 


Sewanee, Tenn.. 


i8s7 


P. E. 


11 


140 


6000 


fTexas Military Institute. 
fSt. Joseph's College 






Non-Sect. 


h 


100 


1000 


Brownsville, Tex 




R. C. 


s 


70 


2000 


{Southwestern University. 


Georgetown, Tex 


187s 


M. E. So. 


6 


78 


1200 


fBaylor University 


Independence, 














Tex 


184S 


Baptist. 


7 


75 


I3SO 


*Salado College 


Salado, Tex 


t8^q 


Non-Sect. 


7 


20 


200 


*Waco University 


Waco, Tex 


1861 


Baptist. 


9 


114 


1200 


*University of Vermont. . . 


Burlington. Vt. 


1701 


Non-Sect. 


8 


66 


16827 


f Middlebury College 


Middlebury, Vt.. 


1800 


Cong. 


8 


53 


13000 


f Norwich University 


Northfield, Vt. . 


1834 


P.E. 


6 


SSo 


2000 


{Randolph Macon College. 


Ashland, Va. . . . 


1830 


M. E. So. 


12 


167 


IOOOO 


tEmory and Henry Col- 
















Emory, Va. . . . 


i839 


M. E. So. 


6 


-So 


4580 


tHampden Sydney College 


Hampden S i d- 












ney, Va 


1783 


Presb. 


s 


8b 


2500 


fWashington and Lee Uni- 
















Lexington, Va. . 
Richmond, Va. . 


1782 
1844 


Non-Sect. 


20 


133 


I IOOO 


Richmond College 


Baptist. 


7 


142 


6000 


f Roanoke College 


Salem, Va 


1853 


Luth. 


6 


J 75 


10500 


fUniversity of Virginia.. . . 


University of Vir- 














ginia, Va. . . . 


l8lQ 


Non-Sect. 


18 


179 


40000 


f College of William and 
















Williamsburg,Va 
Bethany, W. Va. 
Flemington, W. 


1693 
1840 


Non-Sect. 
Christian. 


6 

7 


27 
121 


5000 




2000 


*West Virginia College. .. . 












Va 


1868 


F. W. B. 


S 


4 


574 


*West Virginia University. 


Morgantown, W. 














Va 


1867 
1847 


Non-Sect. 


13 

7 


39 
81 


4500 

8000 


*La\trence University. . . . 


Appleton, Wis. 


M. E. 


fBeloit College 


Beloit, Wis 


1846 


Co. & Pr. 


8 


80 


8500 


*Galesville University 


Galesville, Wis. . 


1854 


M. E. 


4 


26 


4000 



* Admits both sexes. 



t Admits men only. 



X Admits women only. 



APPENDIX. 



155 



Name. 


Location. 


Q5 


Religious 
Denomina- 
tion. 






£.3 

>.s 


*University of Wisconsin. 


Madison, Wis. . 

Milton, Wis 

Prairie du Chien. 
Wis .' 


184s 
1867 

1873 
1852 
1855 
1S64 
1815 
1821 
1S67 

1864 


Non-Sect. 
S. D. Bap. 

R. C. 

P. E. 

Co. & Pr. 

Luth. 

R.C. 

Baptist. 

Non-Sect. 

Non-Sect. 


19 

5 

12 

9 
8 
8 
12 
11 
4 

9 


80 


7500 


|St. John's College 




| Racine College 


Racine, Wis. . . . 

Ripon, Wis 

Watertown, Wis. 
Georgetown, D.C 
Washingt'n, D.C 
Washingt'n, D.C 

Washingt'n, D.C 




*Ripon College 

fNorthwestern University. 

fGeorgetown College 

t Columbian University.. . . 

*Howard University 

tNational Deaf Mute Col- 
lege 


49 

48 

64 
44 
18 

26 


4000 

2000 

30000 

5000 

IOOOO 







* Admits both sexes. 



f Admits men only. 



\ Admits women only. 



INDEX 



Amherst, amount of instruction at, 23 ; 
distinguished graduates of, 130 ; ex- 
penses at, 30 ; gymnastics at, 88, 
89, 90 ; instruction in classics, 6 ; 
history, 16 ; mathematics, 7 ; modern 
languages, 10 ; natural science, 12 ; 
philosophy, 14 ; rhetoric, 19 ; pecu- 
niary aid at, 31, 32; religion at, 55, 
59, 61, 62, 64, 67 ; requirements for 
admission, 2, 3. 

Athletics, 32, seq. 

Athletic Associations, 87, 88. 

Base-ball, 82, 83. 

Berea, religion at, 61. 

Beloit, expenses at, 36 ; instruction in 
philosophy at, 15 ; in history, 17 ; 
pecuniary aid at, 37. 

Boating, origin and progress of, 83, 84 ; 
compared with English, 85, 86 ; effect 
on health, 87 ; on scholarship, 87, 
88 ; training for, 86, 87. 

Boston University, amount of instruction 
at, 23 ; expenses at, 36 ; pecuniary aid 
at, 37- 

Bowdoin, amount of instruction at, 23 ; 
distinguished graduates of, 130; ex- 
penses at, 36; intemperance at, 41; 
pecuniary aid at, 38; religion at, 61, 
62. 



Brown University, expenses at, 36 ; pecu- 
niary aid at. 38 ; religion at, 60, 61, 64. 

California University, amount of instruc- 
tion at, 23 ; expenses at, 36 ; pecuniary 
aid at, 38. 

Cambridge, Eng., distinguished graduates 
of, 137 ; expenses at, 35 ; fellowships 
at, 108. 

Choice of a College, 1 17, seq. 

Classics, study of, 5, 6. 

Columbia, boating at, 85 ; expenses at, 
37 ; pecuniary aid at, 38. 

Cornell, amount of instruction at, 23 ; ex- 
penses at, 36 ; pecuniary aid at, 38. 

Cricket, 81, 82. 

Dartmouth, amount of instruction at, 23 ; 
expenses at, 39 ; journalism at, 9 r ; 
pecuniary aid at, 3S ; religion at 55, 
61, 62, 6.4, 67. 

Day of prayer for colleges, 66. 

Denominational colleges, 67, 145. 

Elective system, 20, 21, 22. 

Fellowships, 107, seq. 

Fine Arts, study of, iS. 

Foot-ball, 81, 82 

German Universities, expenses at, 35. 

Gymnastics, 88 ; effect of on health, 88, 
89, 90. 

Hamilton, amount of instruction at, 23 ; 



53 



INDEX. 



expense at, 36 ; pecuniary aid at, 38 ; 
religion at, 64. 

Harvard, amount of instruction at, 23 ; 
base-ball at, 83, 84 ; boating at, 82, 83 ; 
distinguished graduates of, 130; ex- 
penses at, 27, 28; fellowships, 1 12 ; gym- 
nastics, 88 ; instructions in classics at, 
5 ; in fine arts, 18 ; in history, 16 ; in 
mathematics, 6 ; in modern languages, 
8 ; in natural science, 11 ; in philos- 
ophy, 13; in rhetoric, 18 ; journalism at, 
93, 94 5 pecuniary aid at, 29, 30 ; reli- 
gion at, 55, 56, 57, 61, 62, 64 ; require- 
ments for admission, 3 ; societies at, 
73, 74- 

Haverford, expenses, 36 ; pecuniary aid at, 
38. 

History, study of, 15, 16, 17. 

Illinois College, expenses at, 36 ; pecuniary 
aid at, 38 ; religion at, 59. 

Intemperance in College, 40, seq. 

Iowa College, religion at, 58, 61, 65- 

Johns Hopkins, fellowships at, 112, 113. 

Journals, evils of, 105 ; number and size of, 
go, 91 ; uses of, 105, 106. 

Lampoon, 98. 

Licentiousness, 43, 44. 

Marietta, religion at, 61, 65. 

Mathematics, study of, 6, 7, 8. 

Michigan University, amount of instruc- 
tion at, 23; expenses at, 36; instruction 
in history at, 17; in mathematics, 7; 
in modern languages, 10 ; in natural 
science, 12 ; in philosophy, 15 ; in rhet- 
oric, 17; intemperance at, 42 ; pecu- 
niary aid at, 38 ; religion at, 60 ; re- 
quirements for admission, 3. 

Middlebury, amount of instruction at, 23 ', 
instruction in classics, 6 ; in history, 
17; in mathematics, 7; in natural 
science, 12 ; in philosophy, 14 ; in rhe- 
toric, 19 ; religion at, 61, 62, 67. 



Modern Languages, study of, 8, seq. 

Morality, 44, seq. ; promotion of, 48, seq. ; 
compared with English Universities, 
53, 54- 

Natural Science, study of, ir, seq. 

New York College, amount of instruction 
at, 23. 

Northwestern University, amount of in- 
struction at, 23 ; expenses at, 36 ; 
pecuniary aid at, 38. 

Oberlin, amount of instruction at, 23 ; ex- 
penses at, 36 ; instruction in history, 
17 ; mathematics, 8 ; modern lan- 
guages, 11 ; natural science, 13 ; 
philosophy, 15; rhetoric, 20; intem- 
perance at, 42 ; pecuniary aid, 38 ; 
religion at, 59, 60, 65. 

Oxford University, distinguished grad- 
uates of, 137; expenses at, 35 J fel- 
lowships at, 107. 

Philosophy, study of, 13, seq. 

Princeton, amount of instruction at, 23 ; 
expenses at, 36; fellowships at, no; 
pecuniary aid at, 38 ; religion at, 55, 
60, 6), 64. 

Religion in foundation of Colleges, 55, 56, 
58, 59 ; in government and instruction 
of, 56, 57, 58- 

Revivals in college, 64, seq. 

Rhetoric, study of, 18, seq. 

Ripon, religion at, 61, 65. 

Rowing Association, 84. 

Smith College, expenses at, 35 ; religion 
at, 65. 

Societies, literary, advantages of, 70 ; 
defects of, 71 ; secret, advantages of, 
77 ; evils of, 78 ; expenses of, 76 ; 
religion, 63. 

Trinity, amount of instruction at, 23 ; ex- 
penses at, 37 ; pecuniary aid at, 38. 

Tufts, expenses at, 37; pecuniary aid at, 
38. 



INDEX. 



University Quarterly, 96. 

Union, expenses at, 36 ; pecuniary aid at, 

39- 
Vassar, amount of instruction at, 23 ; ex- 
penses at, 34, 36 ; pecuniary aid at, 
39 J religion at, 64, 65. 
Vermont University, amount of instruc- 
tion at, 23. 
Virginia University, amount of instruction 
tion at, 23 ; expenses at, 36 ; pecuniary 
aid at, 39. 
Wesleyan, amount of instruction at, 23 ; 
expenses at, 36 ; pecuniary aid at, 39 ; 
religion at, 61, 64, 
Western Reserve, religion at, 59. 



159 

Williams, expense at, 36 ; pecuniary aid at, 

39; religion at, 61, 62, 64. 
Yale, amount of instruction at, 23 ; base- 
ball at, 82, 83 ; boating at, 83, 84 ; dis- 
tinguished graduates of, 129; fellow- 
ships at, 109 ; gymnastics at, 88 ; in- 
struction in classics at, 5 ; in fine arts, 
18 ; in history, 16 ; in mathematics, 7 ; 
in modern languages, 9; in natural 
science, 12 ; in philosophy, 13 ; i n 
rhetoric, 19 ; intemperance at, 40, 41 ; 
journalism at, 92, 93 ; pecuniary aid at[ 
39 ; religion at, 55, 64, 65, 67 ; secret 
societies at, 73. 



PUBLICATIONS OF G. P. PUTNAM'S SONS. 

ESSENTIAL BOOKS FOR TEACHERS AND 
STUDENTS. 

HART (Prof. James Morgan) German Universities. A Record 
of Personal Experience, and a critical comparison of the German 
University System with those of England and the United States. 
Third Edition. i2mo, cloth, . . . . . i 75 

" Evidently the result of the closest personal observation, under the guidance 
of high culture, and the purest interest in the knowledge sought."— N. Y. Independent. 

BRISTED (Charles Astor) Five Years in an English Uni- 
versity. Fourth Edition, revised. l2mo, cloth extra, . 2 25 

" Characterized by excellent taste, and full of novel and interesting informa- 
tion." — Phila. Enquirer. 

HILL (Rev. Thomas, D. D.) formerly President of Harvard College. 
The True Order of Studies. i2mo, cloth, . 1 25 

" To older teachers and educators, the simple announcement ot such a work by 
Dr. Hill, will be sufficient to attract their attention. * * * In his " True Order of 
Studies" we have, in plain, simple English, the most practical, compact, and at the 
same time, profoundly philosophical exposition of the fundamental processes of educa- 
tion it has been our fortune to meet in any language." — New England Journal of 
Education. 

" Full of the most valuable and practical suggestions for earnest and intelligent 
teachers." — Louisville Courier-Journal. 

BRACKETT (Anna C.) The Education of American Girls. 

i2mo, cloth, . . . . . . . . 1 75 

" The most remarkable, valuable, and interesting volume that has appeared 
upon the subject." — Hartford Post. 

" Characterized by comprehensiveness, learning, candor, and sense." — Christian 
Union. 

CALDERWOOD (Henry) Professor of Moral Philosophy in the Uni- 
sity of Edinburgh, author of " The Philosophy of the Infinite." etc. 
On Teaching: Its End and Means. i2mo, cloth, . 1 25 

" A book of practical value ; Multum in parvo. Should be in the hands of 
every teacher and parent." — Syracuse Journal. 

PUTNAM. The Best Reading. A Classified Bibliography 
for Easy Reference. With hints on the Selection of Books ; 
on the Formation of Libraries, public and private ; on Courses of 
Reading, etc. A Guide for the Librarian, Bookbuyer, and Book- 
seller. The Classified Lists, arranged under about 500 subject head- 
ings, include all the most desirable books now to be obtained, either 
in Great Britain or the United States, with the prices annexed. New 
Edition, corrected and enlarged. i2mo, paper, 1.25 ; cloth, 1 75 

"The best work of its kind we have seen."- College Courant. 
" We know of no manual that can take its place as a guide to the selection of a 
library."— N. 1". Independent. 

ARMITAGE (E. S.) The Childhood of the English Nation ; 
or, The Beginnings of English History. i2mo, cloth, 1 25 

" It would be quite impossible for us to praise this little book beyond its de- 
serts. It does admirably what it attempts. * * * One of the very best of the recent 
histories for both young and old." — Christian Register. 

"The author has thought out her subject honestly and thoroughly, and has 
given us the result in a clear and attractive shape." — Saturday Review. 



PUBLICATIONS OF G. P. PUTNAM'S SONS. 

Standard Works of Reference. 

PUTNAM (George Palmer) The World's Progress. A Diction- 
«uy of Dates. Being a Chronological and Alphabetical Record of the 
essential facts in the progress of Society. With Tabular views of Uni- 
versal History, Literary Chronology, Biographical Index, etc., etc. 
From the Creation of the World to August, 1877. By George P 
Putnam. Revised and continued by Frederic Beecher Perkins. 
Octavo, containing about 1,200 pages, half morocco, $700; cloth 
extra, $4 5c 

*** The most comprehensive book ot its size and price in the language. 

"It is absolutey essential to the desk of every merchant, and the table of ever/ 
•tudent and professional man." — Christian Inquirer. 

" It is worth ten times its price. * * * It completely supplies my need."— 
S. W. Piegart, Principal of High School, Lancaster, Pa. 

" A more convenient literary labor-saving machine than this excellent compila- 
tion can scarcely be found in any language."— N. Y. Tribune. 

HAYDN. A Dictionary of Dates, relating t9 7LII Ages 
and Nations, for Universal Reference. By Benjamin Vin- 
cent. The new (15th) English edition. With an American Supple- 
ment, containing about 200 additional pages, including American Topics 
and a copious Biographical Index, by G. P. Putnam, A. M. Large 
Octavo, 1,000 pages. Cloth $9 00 ; half russia . . . $12 00 

THE BEST READING. A classified bibliography for easy reference. 
Edited by Frederic B. Perkins. Fifteenth edition, revised, enlarged 
and entirely re-written. Continued to August, 1876. Octavo, cloth, 

$1 75 ; paper $1 25 

"The best work of the kind we have ever seen." —College Courant. 

" We know of no manual that can take its place as a guide to the selection of a 

library." — N. Y. Independent. 

PUTNAM'S LIBRARY COMPANION A quarterly summary, 
giving priced and classified lists of the English and American publica- 
tions of the pusi ''hree months, with the addition of brief analyses or 
characterizations At the more important works ; being a quarterly con- 
tinuation of The Best Reading. Published in April, July, October, 

and January. Price to subscribers, socts., a year. Vol. I., boards, 50 cts. 
" We welcome the first number ot this little quarterly. It should prove invaluable 

alike to librarians, to students, and to general readers."— Boston Traveler. 

JUKES (THE) A Study in Crime, Pauperism, Disease, and 
Heredity. By R. L. Dugdale. Published for the "Prison As- 
sociation of New York." Octavo, cloth . . . . $1 25 
" A work that will command the interest of the philanthropist and the social re- 

( ormer, aud deserves the attention of every citizen and taxpayer. '—AT. Y. Tribune. 

JERVIS (John B.) Labor and Capital. A complete and compre- 
hensive treatise by the veteran engineer, whose experience of more than 
half a century has given him exceptional opportunities for arriving at a 
practical understanding of the questions now at issue between employers 
and employed. i2mo, cloth $1 25 

LINDERMAN (Henry R., Director of the United States Mint) 
Money and Legal Tender in the United States. 12010, 
cloth 1 25 



Works on Political Economy. 

THE WEALTH OF NATIONS. An enquiry into the Nature and 
Causes of. By Adam Smith. i2mo, cloth extra, 792 pages . $2 00 

A perennial work, and the only book in history to which bis been accorded the 
honor of a Centennary Celebration. 

ESSAYS ON POLITICAL ECONOMY. By Frederick 
Bastiat, with Introduction and Notes by David A. Wells 
T2mo, cloth . $1 25 

" '1 ic laws of an abstruse science have never been made more clear, or expressed 
more forcibly." — Cincinnati Commercial, 

THE SOPHISMS OF PROTECTION. By Frederick Bastiat, 
with Introduction by Horace White. i2mo, cloth extra, 400 
pages $1 00 

" Contains the most telling statements of the leading principles of Free-Trade 
ever published." — N. Y. Nation. 

WHAT IS FREE-TRADE ? An Adaptation for American Readers 
of Bastiat's *' Sophism of Protection." By Emile Walter, a Worker. 

i2mo, cloth 75 

" Unsurpassed in the happiness of its illustrations."— N. Y. Nation. 

SOCIAL ECONOMY. By Prof. J. E. Thorold Rogers. Revised 
and edited for American readers. i2ino, cloth ... 75 

" Gives in the compass of r-p pages, concise, yet comprehensive answers to the 
most important questions in social e oomy * * * cannot be too highly recommended 
for the use of teachers, students, ant! ius general public."— A merican Atheneeum. 

PROTECTION AND FREE-TRAEE. A series of essays. By 

Isaac Butts. i2mo, clu.'L extra $1 25 

11 A clear and effective preset lat'jn of the case."— N. Y. Evening Post. 

AN ALPHABET IN FINANCE. A simple statement of permanent 
principles, and their application to questions of the day. By Graham 
McAdam. With Introduction by R. R. Bowker. i2mo, cloth, $1 25 

" A timely volume whose directness and raciness can but be of service."— New 
Englander 

" A model of clear-thinking and happy expression."— Portland Press. 

SUMNER (Prof. W. G., of Yale College) Lectures on the His- 
tory of Protection in the United States. Octavo, cloth 
extra 75 

" There is nothing in the literature of free-trade more forcible and effective than 
this little book."— iV. Y. Post. 

" The book is especially timely, because it furnishes an adequate application of the 
principles of economic science to the concitions existing in this country."— Buffalo 
Courier. 

WELLS (David A.) How shall the Nation Regain Pros- 
perity 1 A Discussion of the elements and amount of our National 
Wealth, and the causes and remedies for the present industrial, com- 
mercial, and financial depression. 8vo, cloth. (In preparation). 

STURTEVANT (Prof. J. M.) Economics, or the Science of 
Wealth. A Treatise on Political Economy, for the use of High 
Schools and Colleges, and for the general reader. Octavo, cloth. I 75 



PUBLICATIONS OF G. P. PUTNAM'S SONS. 

CONSTANTINOPLE. By Edmundo de Amicis, author of "A Journey 
through Holland," "Spain and the Spaniards," &c. Translated by, 
Caroline Tilton. With introduction by Prof. Vincenzo Botta 
Octavo, cloth. 

A trustworthy and exceptionally vivid description of the city which, in the present 
reopening of the Eastern question, is attracting more attention than any other in the 
world. De Amicis is one of the strongest and most brilliant of the present generation of 
Italian writers, and this latest work from his pen, as well fiom the picturesqueness of its 
descriptions as for its skilful analysis of the traits and characteristics of the medley of 
races represented in the Turkish capital, possesses an exceptional interest and value. 

THE GREEKS OF TO-DAY. By Hon. Charles K. Tuckerman, 
late Minister Resident of the U. S. at Athens. Third Edition. i2mo, 

cloth, $1.50 

This work attracted special attention at the time of its publication, in 1872, as giving 
a trustworthy and interesting picture of life in Greece, and of the character and status of 
the modern Greek. At this time, when public attention is so generally directed towards 
the scheme of practically re-establishing a Greek empire and Greek supremacy in the 
East, it is thought that a new edition will prove of interest and service. 

" The information contained in the volume is ample and various, and it cannot fail 
to hold a high rank among the authorities on modern Greece." — N. Y. Tribune. 

"No one can read this book without having his interest greatly increased in this 
brave, brilliant, and in every way remarkable people." — N. Y. Times. 

" We know of no book which so combines freshness and fullness of information." — 
N. Y. Nation. 

ENGLAND ; POLITICAL AND SOCIAL. By Auguste Laugel. 
Translated by J. M. Hart. 121110, cloth, . . . . $1.50 

" It is written with a tone of confidence and force of expression which captivate." 
— Buffalo Commercial. 

" Affords a clear, distinct, and comprehensive view of the political institutions of 
England."— N. Y. Nation. 

" Here, in every sense, is a charming book. * * * * So full of thought, that, 
like the best of Macaulay's Essays, it will bear reading more than once. * * * * 
We hav; rarely met with more picture-like descriptions of what seems to have dwelt most 
upon his mind — English landscape scenery and rural life." — N. Y. World. 

THE SILVER COUNTRY; or, THE GREAT SOUTHWEST. 

A Review of the Mineral and other Wealth, with the attractions and 
material development of the former kingdom of New Spain, comprising 
Mexico and the territory ceded by Mexico to the United States in 1848 
and 1853. By Alexander D. Anderson. 8vo, cloth, with Hypso- 
metric Map, . ........ $1.75 

"Just at the present moment everything which affords reliable information on the 
question of silver, its uses and production, is of almost paramount interest." — Washington 
National Republican. 

" A very useful book for those who wish to study the silver question in its funda- 
mental feature." — Chicago Journal. 

" The book will unquestionably become the authority on^he subiec^of/which it 
treats."— .SV. Louis Republican. %& i^ W 



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